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Chapter 11 Municipal administration AUTOMATION ● Two Corporate Services customer satisfaction surveys were conducted ● Efficiency and effectiveness was enhanced through the automation and implementation of a range of systems and processes ● Aerial photographs of the city were taken and made available to the departments, UACs and the public ● Learnership and internship programmes were registered and started to promote skills development Achievements 98 SKILLS DEVELOPMENT EFFECTIVENESS Councillor Thomas Phakathi Councillor Thomas Phakathi is the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Municipal Administration and has the overall responsibility for Corporate Services. In order to ensure that the CoJ is able to provide ongoing and effective service delivery to the city’s citizens, the maintenance of sound internal support systems is critical. This includes ongoing support and development of human resources, as well as support in a host of other corporate services arenas, such as management of the geographical information system (GIS), valuation services, administration management, legal services, fleet management, occupational health and safety and facilities management. Without these as the backbone of support to the CoJ, the provision of day-to-day services would be severely hampered. 99 Chapter 116 Municipal administration KEY SERVICE DELIVERY AREAS AND CHALLENGES The Corporate Services Department plays a pivotal and critical role in supporting the City in achieving its aims. This is only possible if support is also given to people, systems, information, processes and the creation of a performance-driven culture within the city. There is therefore an ongoing focus on driving the vision of transformation through the development of skills, continuous empowerment, the promotion of equity and the implementation of a rigorous performance management system in the department’s capacity as the administrative support function for the City. The ideal outcome of this support is that effective decision- making can be enhanced. PROGRAMME PERFORMANCE Client and stakeholder satisfaction The City has progressively enhanced customer satisfaction through a range of mechanisms implemented across the various services. Corporate Services has a key role to play in this process and supported the initiative through the implementation of customer satisfaction surveys. During the last financial year, two surveys were undertaken to measure the improvement in average client and stakeholder satisfaction. An overall 6% improvement in average satisfaction rating for all functions was achieved. Corporate Services also reduced the turnaround times for all functions, thereby enhancing overall service delivery. Operational efficiency and effectiveness Corporate Services has enhanced operational efficiency and effectiveness through the automation and implementation of a number of systems and processes. The electronic business management system for occupational health and safety provides a detailed reporting procedure for work-related injuries and diseases, full coverage of the processes required to manage a comprehensive occupational safety programme and an HIV and AIDS management system. The implementation of an enhanced human resource information system (SAP/R3 version 4.6 – Phase Two) delivers improved services to customers, reduces payroll queries, improves turnaround time and provides strategic management information. An electronic records management system has been installed, which ensures conversion of manual filing records to an electronic document filing system. This will be rolled out to all record-keeping sections. This system meets national standards set by the National Archives of South Africa. A valuations system that is able to generate electronic supplementary valuation vouchers, which are sent electronically to revenue for processing, has been 100 installed. This enables the City to improve the accounts and clearance services to ratepayers. The issuing of valuation certificates has also been automated, which improves turnaround times and reduces the risk of fraud. In June 2004, a website for electronic valuation services was introduced to improve customer service. A standard property identifier that will allow the exchange of data between the Council’s primary property databases (billing, GIS, valuations and planning) has been set up by the GIS directorate within Corporate Services. A zoning information tool was developed over the financial year that enables clients to print maps, generate zoning certificates and print copies of approved amendment schemes from the scanned documents in the system. The data capturing for the 12 town planning schemes in operation within the city started in July 2004. Aerial photographs of the City were taken in July – August 2003 and the process was completed at the end of December 2003. The photographs are available to City departments, UACs and the public at large. The implementation of these systems and tools has improved efficiency of the City’s operations and has ensured enhanced effectiveness in terms of service delivery. Effective human resource management and sound employee relations Corporate Services is responsible for the continuous empowerment, skilling of internal staff and the maintenance of sound employee relations. During the last financial year, the department initiated a skills audit, aimed at the identification of skills necessary to provide ongoing and sound service delivery to customers. Key competency gaps have been identified as part of this process. Corporate Services has been driving the workplace skills plan process through timeous submission of the Workplace Skills Plan and Implementation Report to the Local Government and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (LGWSETA). The department implemented internship and learnership programmes to contribute to the creation of jobs and skills within the broader city context. The City is also supporting over 50 students on bursary schemes. In support of the City’s commitment to the Employment Equity Act, Corporate Services ensured submission of an employment equity progress report to the Department of Labour. The City’s Employment Equity Plan and Strategy is geared at achieving all of its employment equity targets within the near future. However, improvement was evident, e.g. the gender split between females and males had improved from a 30:70 ratio in 2000/01 to a 40:60 ratio in 2003/04. The department implemented a Human Resources Strategy that addresses collective bargaining issues, optimal utilisation of staff, change management, skills development and staff retention in order to promote sound employee relations and improved service delivery. The reduction of the backlog of disciplinary cases achieved during the last financial cycle, has also added to the maintenance of sound employee relations. 101 Chapter 11 Municipal administration Preparedness to respond to HIV and AIDS in the workplace Employers in South Africa have both a social and economic responsibility to positively contribute to the fight against HIV and AIDS. In recognition of this responsibility and in an effort to become part of the broader fight against the pandemic, the past year saw Corporate Services tasked with the implementation of an HIV and AIDS workplace programme within the CoJ. The programme included the education and support of employees living with HIV and AIDS, monitoring and provision of training during the implementation of the programme, and, in some instances, the provision of treatment to staff members who may have been exposed to infections in the workplace. The Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Behaviour Study (KAPB), a voluntary anonymous prevalence survey and the impact and actuarial analysis for the CoJ were successfully completed. Municipal Court, by-law enforcement and litigation The Executive Mayor officially launched the Municipal Court in 2004. A prosecutor was appointed, the Chief Magistrate approved the schedule of fines and the court became operational. To support the enforcement of by-laws, three sets of by-laws information guides have been approved. The translation into Afrikaans has also been completed for the following by-laws: Public Open Space, Street Trading and Metered Taxis. IsiZulu and Sotho translations have been completed on Cemeteries, Street Trading and Public Open Space. The following sets of by-laws are in the process of being finalised shortly: Credit Control (already approved), Dogs and Tariff Policy. Eleven cases were finalised from 1 July 2004 to 13 December 2004, either by way of judgement or through settlement beneficial to the City. Only one judgement was rendered against the City, which represents a 90% success rate. CHALLENGES FOR 2004/2005 To improve on the achievements made by Corporate Services during the 2003/04 financial year, the following commitments have been made for the 2004/05 period: ● Maximisation of client and stakeholder satisfaction – with targets including a 2,5% decrease in the operating budget for the management of the City’s fleet, ensuring accurate GIS information which related to billing data, maintenance of sound labour relations, which is to be assessed through staff retention and the handling of disciplinary cases ● Optimisation of services and operations to be achieved, amongst others, through the 50% completion of a human resources shared services centre and the implementation of six internal projects, aimed at the reduction of unfunded liabilities 102 ● Continuation with the general valuation