Report of the Portfolio
Committee on Public Service and Administration on Budget Vote 8 (Department of
Public Service and Administration), dated 11 June 2008.
The
Portfolio Committee received a briefing by the Department of Public Service and
Administration (DPSA) on Budget Vote 8 for 2008/09 on the 27 February 2008.
After having deliberated, the Committee reports as follows:
1. Introduction
and Overview
The
Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) is responsible for
public service personnel matters relating to conditions of service, management
of compensation, human resources, labour relations, public service governance,
service delivery, state information technology, capacity building and skills
management. The department has oversight on all state departments as they
deliver services to the people of
The
DPSA aims to lead the modernization of the public service by assisting
government departments to implement their management policies, systems and
structural solutions within a generally applicable framework of norms and
standards, in order to improve service delivery.
The
Department has the following policy priorities and developments for the 2008/09
financial year until 2010/11:
·
Improving the level and
frequency of interactions between government and citizenry through izimbizos, e-government and fifty one-stop centres; ensuring improved
co-operation among all spheres of government through integrated planning,
monitoring and evaluation; and implementing the single public service, which
will align structures of remuneration and responsibility to allow staff to move
across the three spheres of government, with the aim of improving service
delivery.
·
Delivery of the following
legacy projects: remuneration and retention, human resource development,
service delivery access and improvement, African Governance agenda, monitoring
and evaluation.
·
Implementation of the Public
Service Amendment Bill is a priority for the Department, as this was declared
an Act and published in the Government gazette in January 2008.
·
Preparations and tabling the
Draft Single Public Service Bill in Parliament is a priority for the
Department. It is scheduled for tabling in Parliament in June 2008.
The
Department has the following programmes:
·Programme
1: Administration;
·Programme
2: Human Resource Management and Development;
·Programme
3: Management of Compensation;
·Programme
4: Information and Technology Management;
·Programme
5: Service Delivery Improvement; and
·Programme
6: Governance.
2. Budget
allocation
The DPSA was
allocated a total budget of R412 306 000, which is a 7.35% increase from its
allocated budget for 2007/08.
The budget is
divided per programme as follows:
· Administration
(programme 1) is allocated R96
386 000 for the financial year 2008/09. The objectives of Administration are to
provide policy, strategic leadership and overall management of the department.
· Human Resource Management and Development
(Programme 2) is allocated R45 062 000 for the 2008/09 financial
year. The purpose of this programme is to develop and
implement an integrated strategy, monitor employment practices, conduct human
resource planning and diversity management, and improve the health and wellbeing of public service employees.
· Management of Compensation (Programme 3) is allocated R110 362 000. The purpose of the programme is to develop and implement compensation policies
and guidelines for the public sector and ensure coordinated bargaining.
· Information
and Technology Management (Programme 4) is allocated R38 747 000 for the
2008/09 financial year. The purpose of the programme is to ensure the effective
use of IT in government and facilitate the use of IT for modernising government
and establishing e-government practices, within an acceptable information
security environment.
· Service
Delivery Improvement (Programme 5) is allocated R90 198 000. The programme’s
purpose is to engage in supportive interventions and partnerships which improve
efficiency and effectiveness as well as innovative learning and knowledge-based
modes and practices of service delivery in the public service.
· Governance
(Programme 6) received R31 551 000 for the 2008/09 financial year. Its purpose
is to improve governance and public administration systems for improved service
delivery in
3. Conclusion
The Committee adopts Budget Vote 8 for 2008/09.