Cash Paymaster Services Presentation

Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya,
The Honourable Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Mr Saloojee,
The Honourable Members of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development,
My colleagues in CPS who have accompanied me to this important encounter,

I honestly feel very honoured and privileged as the Executive Chairman of Cash Paymaster Services, for having been invited to come and brief you.

Last week Friday which was on the 24th August 2001. I received a call from Zarina inviting me to a meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development. According to Zarina the Portfolio Committee requested to be briefed by Cash Paymaster Services on the following issues:-
· Conditions of our contract,
· Standards that have been set and how do we achieve such standards,
· Challenges that we, as the service provider are facing whilst we are expected to meet our obligations, and lastly
· The manner in which we are addressing such challenges.

Honourable Members, I wish to cover not only the four mentioned areas, but to also deal with those issues that will be of interest to you. One such issue is the issue of the escalating costs on security that you, as Government, continue to pay while such costs have no bearing, at all, on the delivery of the service by CPS or any other service provider.

CPS has been involved in the business of paying pensions and disability grants for over eleven years now. We therefore can justifiably say that we have gained and do boast of some experience in the work of disbursing cash to our customers. We began this business in July 1990 when the then KwaZulu Government allowed us to start with pilot project in the payment of social grants. Since then we as a company, have not looked back. At some point we were paying in six provinces. The only provinces where we were not paying were.

· The Western Cape,
· The Free State and
· The Eastern Cape where the province has just recently begun the process of outsourcing this function.

It was in 1996 while we were only paying in KwaZulu that our company CPS won the prestigious international Smithsonian Award for the equipment used in paying the grants. Not only was CPS the first company to have won the Award in Africa, South Africa became the first country in Africa to have won the Award.

Honourable Members, much has changed since that pilot project in 1990. The advent of a democratic dispensation in South Africa has meant the transformation of all aspects of the South African Society.
In tackling the issues of poverty alleviation and Social Development the question of social grants becomes crucial. The Public, Private partnership in this regard has become more and more important.

CONDITIONS OF OUR CONTRACTS
We are today paying in 4 provinces. These are: -
· KwaZulu-Natal. We have entered into a new contract with the province which began on the 01-01-2000 and which is for a period of three years and has an option to be extended for 2 years.
· Northern Province. Our contract in the Northern Province is expected to expire at the end of November 2001. The Provincial Department has an option to extend for a year.
· Northern Cape. Our contract in the Northern Cape began in January 2001 and is expected to expire in December 2003.
· North West. Our contract in North West began in July 2000, and it is expected to end in June 2003.

Although the outsourcing of the payment of pensions is a provincial government’s competency, the system under which these contracts are run is a national payment system known as SOCPEN.

· Conditions of the contracts are laid out in the different tender specifications which are later elaborated upon in the Service Level Agreement that CPS enter into with the different provincial departments of Social Development. Of course, on a national level the operation of the payment of social grants is governed by SOCPEN.

· Attached to and accompanying this report is a letter we wrote to the National Minister specifically acquainting him with the history and the functionality of SOCPEN. It surfices therefore for me to say that the SOCPEN pension administration system was developed, implemented and maintained by the former Provincial Administration of Transvaal (TPA) in 1987. The system administered and paid pensions only for a specific population group. It was in 1994 where all the Provincial Welfare departments decided to amalgamate the 14 pension payment and administration systems into one system. It was decided to make use of the SOCPEN system. The process started in 1994 and was compiled in 1996.

This meant that the functionality on SOCPEN had to be changed to accommodate the different payment methods and also accommodate contracts such as the Post Office, CPS and All Pay.

There are therefore serious problems associated with the limitation of the system. One such problem is the cut off schedules that are determined by SOCPEN that limit the service rendered to provinces to the first 13-14 days of the month. As CPS we are of the view that new technology (hardware and software) exists and should be explored as part of re-engineering process that could be started by a Request for information (RFI). TO develop and implement a complete re-engineering system could take 3-5 years. We suggest therefore that a new social grant payment administration system be developed without any further delay.
Broadly speaking, we can say that the SOCPEN payment administration system and the different tender specifications in the different provinces together with the Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) constitute conditions of our contracts.
The tender specifications (specs) and the SLA’s were before the launch of the Minister on the 06 August 2001 setting the standards in the provision of the service. The standards were set in order to regulate the payment system, but the standards were not and are still not uniform in the 9 provinces.

To illustrate this point I will request Members to look at what is happening in the Eastern Cape. Government officials are providing the service where pensioners are given their grants in the form of cheques. The vast majority of these pensioners is not banked and is unbankable, and because of that they are forced to go to unscrupulous business people in order to change their cheques. In most cases it has now become common business practice that when changing a cheque a certain fee has to be charged and taken from the R570.00

The situation of the pensioners in the Eastern Cape, which province today is the poorest in the country is vastly differently from the situation in KwaZulu-Natal. In KwaZulu Natal not only have they outsourced this service, they have gone further to use the smart card in the payment of grants. The pensioners in KwaZulu-Natal and elsewhere are exposed to a number of benefits as customers which benefits are at this stage unimagined by customers in the Eastern Cape. I am certain that this example shows the differences that exist in the service standards set out by the different provinces.

For instance, let us take the issue of pay-points. We may define pay-points to be stationary or mobile places where the disbursement of social grants occurs. The identification of the pay-point is the responsibility of Government through the provincial department.

There are instances however, where you come to the conclusion that certain pay-points were randomly selected without any prior visit to the location. Some of these pay-points are spots in the open veld where there is not a single tree in sight. It is conditions like these that generate a lot of outcry from the general public, parliament as in the portfolio committee and largely politicians.

Unfortunately in most cases if not in all cases the anger is directed towards the third party who is the service provider. I am not saying third parties are not to blame, In some cases they are at fault.

Honourable Members, as CPS we firmly believe that the Norms and Standards introduced by National Minister and having been worked out through the participation of the provincial departments and other stake holders, the implementation of which will go a long way towards the elimination of all the problems that are now associated with the payment of social grants. That these norms and standards also tackle the issue of what kind of technology must be used in disbursing the cash should be greatly commended. I am saying so, Honourable Members, because practice has shown that the use of the smart card as an intelligent card and not a memory card. Practice has it that the smart card, as we can see in KwaZulu-Natal, greatly eliminates the dreaded queues which queues cause some of the pensioners to collapse.

Amongst the Norms and Standards is what now is the mandatory practice of the Batho Pele Principles by both government officials and the third party officials. The latter are also required to know provisions of the Social Assistance Act and related legislations. To us CPS, this is a wonderful development that motivates us to work more closely with government.

We now see that the emphasis is not only placed in giving out the R570.00 to our pensioners, but more and more emphasis is also being given to our pensioners. Hence we are also as the third party required to enforce the practice of the Batho Pele Principles. The People First.

As a company we adopted the Principles in July last year. At the time the National Minister, Dr Zola Skweyiya, was on a national roadshow visiting all the provinces. He had visited North West when he discovered that some of our staff were not only disrespectful of elderly but were also rude to them.

As a company we were forced to immediately move in to correct the situation. In correcting it we resolved to adopt the Batho Pele Principles as our policy, from North West we then extended the training in the Principles to all the Provinces where we are operating.

Whilst we were busy training our staff on the Batho Pele Principles, we soon realise that this particular training was different from other trainings. Other trainings that we are used to only require that you only disseminate knowledge to impart certain skills or to enhance certain skills. The training in the Batho Pele Principles requires more than that because as an end-result it demands a change in the mindset and therefore a complete behavioural patterns because emphasis is placed on moral values such as courtesy, respect, redress, consultation, information, and value for money. Since the beginning of April this year we have acquired the services of a full time manager whose duty is to train all of us, both management and staff and especially staff that is in the front line of the service, in the Batho Pele Principles. A year before the launch of the norms and standards, which include the Batho Pele Principles, our company had already saw it fit to adopt the Principles as its own policy.
In the four provinces where we render this invaluable service we pay every month over 1.5 million beneficiaries or what we prefer to call our customers. The numbers vary from province to province, because we are paying as follows:
· Northern Cape - 86 825
· North West Province - 251 685
· Northern Province - 469 384
· Kwazulu Natal - 721 458

Therefore, to be exact we pay every month 1 529 352 customers.

Honourable Members, in the different provinces where we are paying we have entered into agreements with the provincial departments to employ 90% of our staff from the local people in the provinces. All in all, in the four provinces we have employed 1 287 personnel, which number includes the security personnel of 399.

When I began my report I promised that I would touch on issues outside those requested by the committee, for example the issue of the escalating costs on security. We in CPS are of the view that although security is needed in the transportation of cash and at pay-points where we are disbursing this cash, security as security adds no value to our delivering the service. If I were to elucidate this point I would say that, supposing we say that per transaction we charge R 15.00, of the R 15.00 only R 9.00 goes towards the actual delivery of the service whilst R 6.00 goes to security, i.e. Cash-In-Transit and guarding.

We have seen that during the heists or armed robberies which have become the order of the day in the South African society, stiff battles ensue between the robbers and the security personnel where, in most cases or invariably lives get lost.
The question arises whether these guards are adequately trained to deal with these situations or are the soldiers more appropriate to be assigned to perform this task at no added cost to government. Government trains and pays soldiers who during peace times could be assigned to perform community service! One such service could be securing the transportation and disbursement of cash. We believe that the use of soldiers will not only eliminate the blemish that is associated with heists, save billions of rands that are lost through the robberies and save lives. It will also help that government retrieves the millions paid towards employing the security companies to be used elsewhere in the fight against poverty for a better life for all.

Honourable Members, there are now uniform service standards that are universal enshrined in the document on the norms and standards. To us CPS, these norms and standards serve as a franchise to all of us who deliver the services both as third parties and as government itself. The norms and standards regulate the procedure to be followed from the time the application is made to the moment when the pensioner receives the grant.

By introducing these norms and standards the Department of Social Development seems to be saying that, just like McDonalds where the service is the same whether you get it in Giyana, Vredendaal or Qoqodala in the Eastern Cape so will be the service given to the grantees.

CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE FACING
As a company we face a number of challenges and the biggest among those challenges is the total elimination of all problems and obstacles that stand in the way of our customers receiving their grants without any inconvenience to them at all. We therefore commit ourselves to vigorously impart to all of us in the company the Batho Pele Principles so as to render a quality service in an atmosphere permeated with the spirit of Ubuntu. We undertake to also double our efforts in educating our elders and caregivers about the use and importance of the smart card. Where we have started the use of the smart card the problem facing us is the loss and damage of smart cards. Without any inconvenience to our beneficiaries we have together with the departments, resolved to re-issue the cards within 72 hours.

A problem that has arisen at pay-points is the problem of loan sharks. These are unscrupulous people who give loans to the pensioners at very high interest rates. They keep the pensioners cards and the pensioners are forced to apply for new cards. These are some of the problems or challenges that we are facing. We must remember that in most homes, the pensioners are the sole bread winners who are expected not only to put food on the table, but are also expected to send their grand children whose parents have died of HIV / AIDS, to school. Hence the need to borrow money from these micro-lenders.

Another challenge we face as CPS and SMME Service providers, whom we entered into partnership with, is the short contract period of 3 years. South Africa’s procurement policies require that we enter into partnership with Black Empowerment partners and SMME.

The short contract periods we have do not help our partners to grow because, as they just break even, and are beginning to make a profit, the contracts end. If we were to extend these years it would greatly make a difference in their growth as entrepreneurs.

I have attempted to cover not only the areas that I was asked to touch, but I have also touched on issues that I thought would also be of interest to the Honourable Members.

Once again I wish to thank you for affording me this rare and wonderful opportunity of having addressed you! For us we are happy to report quarterly to this forum.

Appendix 1:
24 March 2000

The Minister

Department of Welfare and Population Development

PRETORIA

Dear Minister

CASH PAYMASTER SERVICES REPORT ON SOCPEN ISSUES

It is with appreciation that CPS submits the following report in respect of SOCPEN issues for your perusal. CPS has 10 years experience in the payment of Social Grants in SA. CPS operates in six Provinces and is paying in excess of 1,2 million social grant beneficiaries on a monthly basis. This, in short, to prove that CPS is in a position to assist with the identification and also the resolving of issues related to social grant payments.

SOCPEN HISTORY

The SOCPEN pension administration system was developed, implemented and maintained by the former Provincial Administration of Transvaal (PTA) during 1987. This system administered and paid pensions only for a certain population group. During 1994, a decision was taken by all provincials’ Welfare Departments to amalgamate the then 14- pension payment and administration systems into one system. At that time it was decided to make use of already existing SOCPEN system. This process started in 1994 and was completed during 1996.

The functionality on SOCPEN had to be changed to accommodate the different payment methods contractors such as the Post Office, CPS and Allpay. What must be understood is the fact that the SOCPEN system was developed to handle only two payment methods namely cash and bank payments to approximately 700 000 beneficiaries.

On completion of the amalgamation process the various provinces had to start with a "CLEAN –UP" process called RE- REGISTRATION. The purpose of this exercise was to clean up the static data on the system which was incomplete as well as to obtain a valid 13- digit RSA ID number for each beneficiary.

PROBLEMS AT PROVINCIAL LEVEL

The amalgamated process obviously brought about its own problems, which also had impact on the administration of social grants as well as the inputs onto the SOCPEN database.

Due to the fact that problems impacted on CPS’s performance and the service rendered to the client as well as to the beneficiaries CPS appointed a Database Supervisor, who on a regular basis liase with the Provincial Government’s Computer, Finance and Welfare Departments, to ensure that problems experienced are resolved.

In this process the various Provincial Governments are assisted to identify problem areas and are assisted to rectify the problems in respect of for instance incomplete or incorrect data which needs to be updated or changed on SOCPEN.

The incorrect or incomplete data and other problem areas can create opportunities for fraudulent activities and / or delays in the payments process, which therefore needs immediate attention.

SOCPEN LIMITATIONS

For SOCPEN to complete the processing and updating of payment information timeously, SOCPEN introduced cut- off dates for payments in the Provinces, to allow sufficient time for SOCPEN to process data. However, this arrangement has negative implications on service delivery for the Provincial Governments, the beneficiaries and to limit the number of beneficiaries to 1000 per day per pay point the contractor has to deploy more equipment and resources which is only used for half the month.

Due to the fact that SOCPEN does not have real time access to Home Affairs deceased beneficiaries remain on the system for a period before SOCPEN is updated. The result being over payments should money be paid into a bank account or if a procurator collects the money.

In short the SOCPEN system cannot handle the data processing which is required by all the users. It is more than 10 years old and is a system which has been patched to such an extent that it could fall over in the future.

PAYMENT PROBLEMS

The cut-off schedules determined by SOCPEN limits the service rendered in most Provinces to the first 13 – 14 days of the month.

The key to the data of each beneficiary on the system is an ID number, due to the number of ID documents a beneficiary could have multiple ID numbers. The re –registration process should eliminate this problem but the process is slow and updating of the information on SOCPEN is time consuming. It might be a better option to make use of unique numbers for each beneficiary instead of using only the ID number.

SOCPEN does not always adhere to the linkage specifications when sending information to CPS, which result in CPS having to reject information received from SOCPEN. This means that double effort has to be put in by all concerned to get the information timeously for payment.

SOCPEN is not a financial management system, although it is responsible for the management of all social grants payment information. This fact specifically impacts on the generating of payment information especially if a beneficiary did not collect payment during a specific month.

The confirmation of the biometric enrolment of beneficiaries onto the CPS payment system is not always updated timeously on SOCPEN with the following results:

DATABASE MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS

If any changes need to be brought into the system SOCPEN experience problems, for instance, it can take up to six months to register a new contractor. The implementation of a new contractor on SOCPEN needs to be hard coded. For instance CPS "KZN" requested the registration of a new contractor code 5 months ago without any response from SOCPEN to date.

The system will only generate management information on request and then only weeks after the receipt of the request.

Problems with implementation of enhancement on functions to i.e. capture or approve and change beneficiary information on the system is experienced due to the system being patched and not being able to cope with any enhancements, resulting in over or under payments.

CPS is forced to conform to SOCPEN cut-off schedule and deliver reconciliation files before 16:00 on cut – off day month end three. The payment files received from SOCPEN should be available to CPS on the following Monday morning at 08:00. SOCPEN hardly ever meets this deadline which impacts on CPS’s processing time to enable CPS to have their payment files loaded onto the vehicles timeously.

If a beneficiary request a transfer from another payment contractor within a province to CPS, CPS does not receive a static change record to pen an account for the beneficiary therefore no payment is activated on the CPS system. On instruction CPS is then forced to pay said beneficiary outside the system, which could result in fraudulent activities.

GENERAL PROBLEMS

PROPOSED SOLUTION

SOCPEN has served its purpose it has already exceeded its normal system life cycle of 10 years. Due to all the quick fix development done on existing programmes SOCPEN could grind to a stop without warning. It is clear from experience that the SOCPEN system still contains incomplete and wrong information. The purpose of the re- registration process was to cleanup and update incomplete records, which is still in process.

New technology (hardware and software) exist and should be explored as part of the re-engineering process started by the Request for Information (RFI). To develop and implement a complete re-engineered system could take -+ 3 – 5 years. It is however

clear that the SOCPEN system cannot "wait" for the re-engineering of the total Welfare environment. It is suggested that a new social grant administration system be developed without any further delay. With all the development tools available today development of a new SOCPEN system can be done in a shorter timeframe if proper planning of the new system is done.

When planning the new pension payment and administration system the following should be taken into consideration:

Furthermore CPS strongly suggest that a one day Workshop be held between the following role players:

The purpose of this workshop would be to focus on a specific vision and solution for the future and to determine what has already been done within the Department during the past years and incorporating this future solution.

CPS wishes to confirm that we have the knowledge, experience and capacity to be part of this process.

Kind regards

MAZWI YAKO

Executive Director


Appendix 2:
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF CPS BY ADOPTING THE BATHO PELE PRINCIPLES


By adopting the principles of
Batho Pele, Cash Paymaster Services once again shows its unwavering commitment to the partnership it shares with the democratic Government of South Africa. CPS shares the government’s vision of putting the PEOPLE of this lovely country, FIRST. It also has a vision to be a leader in the payment of social grants by fully adopting and applying the principles.

CPS aims at implementing the envisaged norms and standards proposed by Government. The application of the norms and standards by CPS will be the most visible contribution it will make in restoring the lost dignity & respect that society used to give to our elders. South Africa’s rebirth which is part of Africa’s rebirth will be characterized, among other things, by the rebirth of ubuntu.

CPS’s adherence to and implementation of the Batho Pele principles will help to enhance the partnership that exists between itself and government and communities it is serving. Our practising of these noble principles will help cement our ties with our stakeholders like pensioner committees, non- governmental organisations (NGO’s), community based organisations (CBO’s), local government councillors, traditional leaders and community radio stations.

Let the year 2001 be the year where as a country we bring back to our elders what is rightfully theirs, i.e. their dignity and respect.

Signed_______________________

CASH PAYMASTER SERVICES ADOPTS THE BATHO PELE PRINCIPLES

BACKGROUND

The Batho Pele Principles were conceptualised and introduced for implementation by the democratically elected government of the Republic of South Africa.

In Government, specifically, these principles were introduced by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) under the political leadership of Dr. Z. S. Skweyiya. In 1997 the principles were launched throughout South Africa. Dr. Skweyiya is now the National Minister of the Department of Social Development. Before the year 2001 this Department was known as the Department of Social Welfare & Population Development. The change in name is a clear indication of the shift in emphasis in the work of the Department.

Dr. Skweyiya’s Ministry and Department insist on the application of the principles by both the Public Service (for which the principles are meant) and those who provide service for the Department e.g. Cash Paymaster Services (PTY) Ltd.

Batho Pele is a Sesotho adage or phrase that means " People First." Government seems to be saying that ‘ Government is Government because it puts the needs and wishes of its people first". The eight Batho Pele principles set out transformation priorities as they are meant to transform the Public Service. These are therefore transformation principles that form an integral part of the transformation process taking place in South Africa today. To abide by what the Principles are calling for CPS will be also carving its own participation in the transformation process.

The White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service was published on the 24 November 1995, and in it there is this assertion; "A guiding principle of the public service will be that of the service to the people." By introducing the eight Batho Pele principles, Government is trying to make service delivery a priority.

2. INTRODUCTION

As a private company, which provides service for the Department of Social Development, CPS has adopted the Batho Pele Principles. The latter therefore form part and parcel of CPS policy, and because of that adherence to the principles by both management and staff is an imperative.

It is an obvious fact that CPS owes its existence from Government. To us therefore Government’ satisfaction about the service we provide remains a priority.

For us to stay in business we need to continuously improve the quality of our service. It is for this reason that CPS welcomes the introduction of the norms and standards which to CPS are a business ‘franchise’ in the provision of the service for the payment of social grants.

The continuous improvement of the quality and equity of our service can only be achieved if we pay particular attention to the following: -

  1. to see to the continuous improvement and perfection of our software. We need to work to eliminate breakages in our software or we need to drastically reduce such occurrences,
  2. we need to also pay particular attention to the wishes and needs of our staff compliment. These are the people who are in the forefront of our service delivery who by virtue of that need to enjoy their work of providing a service to the elderly. It is only a generally satisfied staff that can readily and warmly embrace the principles and values of the Batho Pele.

BATHO PELE PRINCIPLES (8)

The BATHO PELE PRINCIPLES AND VALUES

It was mentioned earlier in this document that Batho Pele is a Sesotho phrase meaning "People first".

On the 01 October 1997, the public service embarked on a Batho Pele campaign aimed at improving service delivery, to the public, and from then Government started a journey – a journey to transform the public service. As managers and staff of CPS we are expected to start our own journey in order to join the race already begun by government. We are expected to determine our own pace according to the situation of CPS whilst staying within the rules.

There are eight (8) Batho Pele Principles as listed in the White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service:

  1. Consultation

Customers/citizens should be consulted about the level and quality of service they receive, and wherever possible, should be given a choice on the services that they are offered.

(ii) Service Standards

Customers/citizens should be told what level and quality of public services they will receive so that they are aware of what to expect.

(iii) Access

All customers/citizens should have equal access to the services to which they are entitled.

(iv) Courtesy

Customers/ citizens should be treated with courtesy and consideration.

(v) Information

Customers /citizens should be given full, accurate information about the public services they are entitled to receive.

(vi) Openness and Transparency

Customers/ citizens should be told how national and provincial departments are run, how much they cost, and who is in charge.

(vii) Redress

If the promised standards of service is not delivered, citizens/customers should be offered an apology, a full explanation and a speedy response when complaints are made, beneficiaries should receive a sympathetic, positive response.

(viii) Value for Money

Public services should be provided economically and efficiently in order to give citizens best possible value for money.

Generally speaking these are principles that demand the following: -

PUTTING THE PRINCIPLES IN INTO PRACTICE

Firstly, we need to translate into CPS’ actual daily activities the eight (8) Batho Pele Principles.

The Principles need to find expression and interpretation in CPS’ actual activities as it pays out the social grants at pay points.

We owe it to ourselves as managers and staff of CPS to see to it that CPS stays in business because by so doing we will be assured to provide, not only for us but also for our families:- the basic needs and a better future.

Our livelihood, our survival as members of CPS squarely rests with our ability to improve our quality of service. We can effectively do that if and only if we live the Batho Pele principles.

We now need to examine the principles one by one. Before we do that, we will preceed such an examination by, firstly, giving our company’s mission statement around which all our policies & activities are aimed.

MISSION STATEMENT:

Cash Paymaster Services (PTY) LTD is to be the leading mobile payment service in Southern Africa, earning sustainable profits, through outstanding customer service, innovation & professionalism, achieved by well motivated and committed team who are proud of what we are, what we do & how we do it.

A few days before his Budget Vote Speech on the 03 April, 2001 the National Minister Dr Z Skweyiya presented to social grant service providers the following norms and standards;

  1. that the period of two hours be the maximum time that a beneficiary is expected to spend without being serviced,
  2. that during payment days CPS will be expected to have paid all beneficiaries due to be paid that day by 15h00,
  3. that there needed to be improvement of the conditions at pay points by providing shelter where there is none, providing chairs and ablution facilities,
  4. that where a party to the contract fails or falls short in its performance of the agreed duties, there needs to be some enforcement of penalties, and
  5. that the Batho Pele Principles be enforced.

The above norms and standards have since been added onto, and it is Government’s plan to codify the norms and standards.

The first Principle is

  1. Consultation

Customers / citizens should be consulted about the level and the quality of services they receive and wherever possible, should be given a choice about the services that are offered.

This principle as it is also the case with others is related to other principles e.g. information. As you are consulting you are also sharing information.

CPS must assist as Government in letting the general public know about the norms and standards. These are norms and standards that Government together with service providers must adhere to.

In whatever we intend doing concerning our service we need to consult with our client and stakeholders before we actually undertake to do that. Who is CPS’s client and who are our stakeholders?

  1. Government
  2. The provincial departments with whom we have signed Service Level Agreements are our clients. As a company we wish to extend such an understanding to include beneficiaries of social grants. That is to say as beneficiaries of social grants they are our customers. Because of their existence we are able to be in business. The branch manager and the Assistant Director are expected to consult on a number of decisions aimed at improving the kind of service we are providing.

    In all the levels up to the national level we expect to enjoy good relations with government so that we CONSULT, and that CONSULTATION becomes a norm in our dealings.

  3. Pensioner Committees
  4. The importance of pensioner committees, amongst other things, lies in the fact that through these committees we can consult, we can communicate any relevant information we want to relay and we can get to know about what is being said about CPS, good or bad.

  5. Non Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) and Community Based Organisations (CBO’s).
  6. There are a number of NGO’s and CBO’s that are found in provinces and nationally who are dealing with issues pertaining to the elderly, the disabled, and children. Because these organisations are involved within the welfare sector what we do as CPS is constantly under their watchful eye. We need to know that they are watching us and because of that we need to constantly keep in touch with them.

    We need to consult with them on any issues that involve our beneficiaries and which we feel they need to know about or they need to advise on.

  7. Traditional Leaders
  8. The vast majority of the beneficiaries we are dealing with are people who are in rural areas, and who are still under traditional leadership. Apart from that the chief or headman is the one that, now and again, visit Home Affairs offices or Department of Social Development offices to see if those who had applied for ID’s do get them, and whether applications for social grants have been granted or not.

    We therefore need to work with the traditional leaders.

    Perhaps from time to time we need to attend the lekgotla’s or imbizo to challenge the community to openly critisize CPS as an establishment or evaluate us as individual staff members. These forums we can not use only to consult but also pass

    relevant information, and to also measure ourselves on our service standards.

    This is emphasized, more by the principle of imbizo, as explained by the President of South Africa, which means listening to the ordinary people themselves on how the government could speed up change for the better.

  9. Politicians
  10. History has shown that welfare issues feature prominently in Election Manifesto’s of political parties. In the South African situation we have also seen that even those who aspire to be local government councillors have a propensity to make what is happening at pay points their electioneering campaign issue.

    We therefore need to consult with politicians. We need to be visible at their constituency offices, provincial legislatures, and the National Assembly. We need not only be visible to them alone, they also need to know what we are doing and how do we go about doing what we are doing. We therefore need to be open to them and be transparent as we need to do to all other people.

    This is a group of people and institutions that we need to consult, work with and keep in touch.

  11. Community Radio Stations

Community radio stations are relatively a new phenomenon in the South African history. As their name connotes they are, in deed, community radio stations because they communicate issues to the relevant communities.

As a company that deals with the community we therefore need to have links with the community radio stations.

(ii) SERVICE STANDARDS

Customers/citizens should be told what level and quality of services they receive so that they are aware of what to expect.

This principle is now covered by the norms & standards which Government aims to codify.

If it has not agreed, CPS needs to agree on the introduction of the card payment system at pay points. The card payment system is primarily aimed at reducing the long queues that you find during the first two days of the payment cycle. According to this system different sets of cards according to different colours are given to the beneficiaries.

In the cards it will be made clear in print that those who carry the red cards, for example, will be only served between 08h00-10h00 as opposed to those who carry green as they will be attended to between 10h00- 12h00. To reinforce what is written on the cards verbal announcements will also be made.

This practice is in line with our agreement with government that the maximum period of time for a beneficiary at the pay point to be attended to will be two hours only. We further propose that these standards be written in bold print and be made visible for all to see. Actually we would marvel at a situation where at all our pay points we could start our day’s work with a short prayer with the beneficiaries, and thereafter read the service standards or make any relevant announcements that need to be made.


(iii) ACCESS

All customers /citizens should have access to the services to which they are entitled to.

In CPS’ experience it has now become a reality that the pensioner who suddenly falls sick a few days before the payment day either family members or the pensioner himself or herself insist on he/she being transported to collect the grant. In instances of this nature the pensioner usually passes away. These are not many cases or cases that are frequent, but because human life is lost unnecessarily, CPS needs to show concern by working towards stopping this occurrence.

Branch managers working with social workers from the Department need to work together in finding ways of knowing about the state of health of the pensioners, and working on paying these where they are lying sick whether in hospital or at homes.

An important aspect of ‘access’ in CPS’ experience is the question of what happens during the process an application is made to the Department; the time it takes to process the application. This raises the question of importance of the role the help desk has to play here. It is a known fact that government officials who fail in their work, and taking advantage of the ignorance suffered by beneficiaries, unscrupulously put the blame on CPS. This situation unnecessarily and unfairly tarnishes the image of CPS as a service provider.

Branch managers must make sure that wheelchairs are available at pay points so as to help those who cannot walk or find difficulty in walking to have access to the paystations where they need to be paid.

(iv) COURTESY

Customers/citizens shall be treated with courtesy and consideration.

Even for CPS members the concept of courtesy goes much wider than asking staff to give a polite smile and to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ though these are certainly required. It requires service providers to put themselves in the shoes of the beneficiary and to treat them with as much dignity and respect as they would like to receive themselves.

At a pay point in the North West province a story of discourteous and inconsiderate behaviour by CPS staff members was told. Without being decent enough and respectful of the beneficiaries by telling them that the machinery was broken CPS members took out parcels of food and started eating in the presence of the starving pensioners who had come to collect their grants in order to be able to buy food.

To be courteous and considerate is a morally acceptable way of life, that is UBUNTU! As human beings first, and as CPS members who have adopted the Batho Pele

Principles we are all called upon to be always courteous and considerate to everybody.

This equally applies to our relations to one another as members of staff and as managers to our subordinates. As a company we need to get rid of any negative behaviour that might jeopardise our relations and thereby adversely affect our service delivery & dent the image of the company.

(v) INFORMATION

Customers/citizens should be given full, accurate information about the services they are entitled to.

No one can over emphasize the importance of information. Our beneficiaries and our stakeholders deserve the right to be informed about everything we intend to do, and about what we are doing. We are obligated to our beneficiaries and stakeholders to provide them with full and accurate information.

(vi) OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY

Customers/ citizens should be told how national and provincial departments are run, how much they cost, and who is in charge.

According to the situation of CPS this principle means that the beneficiaries and stakeholders need to know who is the branch manager, who are team leaders and who is who in the depot and doing what.

This goes on to mean that when there are cases of theft, fraud and corruption by members of staff our partners have to be informed so that we are not seen to be hiding or covering something or somebody.

When we are open and transparent we open avenues for building of confidence and trust between ourselves and the beneficiaries and the stakeholders. The key aspect of this is that our stakeholders should know more about the way we run our business.

(vii) REDRESS

If the promised standard of service is not delivered, customers /citizens should be offered an apology, a full explanation and a speedy and effective remedy:

And when complaints are made, customers/citizens should receive a sympathetic, positive response.

The capacity and willingness to take action when things go wrong, is the necessary counterpart of the standard setting process. The key to the Batho Pele Redress principle lies in being able to identify quickly and accurately when services are falling below the promised standard and having procedures in place to remedy the situation.

In CPS situation it means that whenever a paystation breaks down a back-up needs to be readily available. If a situation cannot be remedied and thereby service delivery is affected CPS must accept to be punished. For example, if the payment process is affected through CPS’ omission or commission and an agreed upon period of time within which, to remedy the situation elapses CPS becomes liable to provide food to those who were particularly entitled to a service during that particular period of time.

Complaints made should not be interpreted or construed as grumbling or time consuming irritation. The first steps, therefore are to acknowledge that all dissatisfaction, expressed in writing or verbally, is an indication that the beneficiary or the stakeholder does not consider that the promised standard of service is being delivered; and then to establish ways of measuring all expressions of dissatisfaction.

CPS must therefore always strive to eliminate any chances for complaints, and when these do occur to immediately remedy the situation by correcting the wrong.

(viii) VALUE FOR MONEY

Service should be provided economically and effectively in order to give citizens the best possible value for money.

This principle is much more relevant to CPS as it is profit driven. It always makes sense that if you eliminate wastefulness, you cut down on costs, you do make profit. One of the key aims of Batho Pele will therefore be to search for ways to simplify procedures and eliminate waste and inefficiency.

HIGHLIGHTS

Does it really make sense that when looking back at the track record and the history of CPS, we should start panicking and be anxious when tenders are advertised and existing contracts expire? What is it that we are not doing right? We need to focus on finding innovative solutions to our technological needs and we need to improve in our service delivery.

We know that there is a view out there or should we say that there is an emerging school of thought that wants to portray CPS as a monopoly in this market. Currently CPS pays in four provinces when it used to pay in six provinces. Its ambition then was to pay in all nine provinces. That ambition continues to drive CPS even today.

CONCLUSION

Batho Pele principles are therefore aimed at promoting UBUNTU and the image of the company as well. Can we all therefore go and make use of these principles in our places of work, to our beneficiaries, colleagues and partners in business, so as to improve the quality of our service and be able to achieve our goals.