2015 Vol 10 No 3
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SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW A learning magazine for the Public Service SDRVol 10 No. 3 of 2015 MINISTER Collins Chabane Building a Public Service that is worthy of his memory MEET Chair Mabe Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration Local Government leads the Back to Basics Strategy 782004 New Synthesis in Action A Fresh look at service delivery 771681 ISSN 1681-7826 9 With GEMS every member matters, and it shows GEMS members are positive about Nothing is more important to us than their medical scheme and its future. our members. We call this the ‘GEMS difference’. Our most recent member survey revealed that 83% of members were highly satisfied with If you are a government employee and the Scheme while 90% agreed that GEMS was are looking for a medical scheme where ‘here to stay’. every member matters, contact us today by dialling *120*4367# or visit m.gems.gov.za. 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Vol 10 No. 3 of 2015 SERVICE DELIVERY NEWS IN BRIEF CONTENTS Regulars 2 From The Editor’s Desk 8-13 News In Brief Tribute 4 Minister Chabane Personified Batho Pele 2 Profile 14 Madam Chair: Ms Peace Mabe Back to Basics 16 GOING BACK TO THE BASICS: Local government strategy shows the way 20 LEADING TRANSFORMATION: The New Synthesis in Action 24 A capable and competent Public Service 28 State of the Public Service and Beyond 33 Towards achieving strategic-state capability through the Co-ordination of the Centre of Government Functions 34 Using the Public Service as a Training Ground 14 Case Studies 44 Pillar of the new South Africa 48 Building a new Home Affairs 49 Building the ideal clinic 52 Government’s Rand Power Macro-organisation of the State 55 Optimisation of Government International Case Study 59 Strong Executive Branch Leadership Crucial for Policy Implementation 16 Opinion Piece 64 In Defence of Big Governement Report Back 67 Disability Rights Awareness Month Book Reviews 69 Book Reviews 20 Volume 10 No. 3 of 2015 SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW 1 from the editor’s desk Managing Editor Colette Clark Editor Dudley Moloi Editorial Team Lawrence Tsipane Sebenzile Zibani Editorial Advisory Group Rhulani Makhubela Zamokwakhe Khuzwayo Lungile Ngqoyi Luyanda Ndlovu Mataywa Busieka Nombulelo Nikiwe To order copies of the Service Delivery Review contact Sebenzile.Zibane@ dpsa.gov.za We belong We care We serve Invitation for contributions The Service Delivery Review is a learning and knowledge tool for the public service. It provides a platform for debate and the exchange of ideas in aid of BUILDING improving service delivery. Public servants, academics, Minister Chabane communities and other A Public Service interested parties are underscored encouraged and welcome That Is A to respond to and raise the fact that the issues in this regard. Letters and feedback WORTHY transformation of should not be more than 500 words and the MONUMENT society (and the maximum length for articles is 2000 words. public service in For more information To Minister please contact LawrenceT@ particular) is an dpsa.gov.za or Dudley@ dpsa.gov.za Chabane on-going project. 2 SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW Volume 10 No. 3 of 2015 from the editor’s desk became part of the Azanian (NSG) for professionalising the Students Organisation. He took a public service. path that saw him dedicate his life to finding solutions, from the armed Minister Chabane underscored struggle to helping construct post- the fact that the transformation of apartheid society. society (and the public service in particular) is an on-going project. The week preceding the burial His adopted motto was: Re- of Minister Chabane saw an inventing the way public servants outpouring of grief as the nation work: Batho Pele, Putting People and the world mourned alongside First. Dudley Moloi the Chabane family. While the As we celebrate the gift of a life that n a normal society, a child at the groundswell of universal grief was was Minister Collins Chabane, it is age of 17 is said to be on the in part due to the sudden and tragic equally important to realise that his Iverge of adulthood. Much of the nature of his departure, it was also memory would be better served if childish foibles and follies are left largely due to suddenly cutting we were to build the kind of public by the wayside in the journey to short a talented soul who still had service that would resonate with his growing up. At the age of 17, and in much more to offer in politics, the life’s work. a normal society, one rarely spends arts and public administration. sleepless nights over the welfare of Minister Chabane was barely As Deputy President Cyril people other than oneself and the ten months at the helm of the Ramaphosa writes in his eulogy, biggest issue for a would-be adult Public Service and Administration “In his life and work, [Minister is one of “getting ahead in life”. portfolio, during which period Chabane] was the embodiment Not so, if one was as “sensitive, he had spoken at length about of our government’s motto, Batho caring and principled” as the young the need to reposition the public Pele”. Chabane was. His adopted motto was: Re-inventing the way public servants work: Batho Pele, Putting People First. Trapped in an anomalous society service in line with the National In other words, there is no worthy of a rural Bantustan, Chabane was Development Plan (NDP) of monument to the late Minister of a generation that not only chose government. He chaperoned the Chabane than a public service that to do something about their lot, but signing of the Public Administration truly echoes his lifelong passion to also those of others. Management Act (PAMA). The belong, care and serve. multiple objectives of PAMA, which A year before Chabane turned 17, was signed into law by President South Africa was on the throes Jacob Zuma, includes fostering of violent student anti-apartheid greater integration in the delivery Dudley Moloi demonstrations. In 1977, the year in of services across the three which Black Consciousness leader, administrative layers of government Steve Biko died in detention, also and the establishment of the marked the time that Chabane National School of Government Volume 10 No. 3 of 2015 SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW 3 TRIBUTE TO MINISTER CHABANE Minister Chabane Personified Batho Pele It is difficult to remain ‘a man of the people’ when you are wearing the robes of power, but Collins Chabane showed us how to do it,” says Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa in this edited eulogy. ith the tragic passing of ngoxolo qabane, kade uzabalaza, and later in government, he lived Minister Collins Chabane, we we must ask who will pick up your the universal values of equality, Whave seen an emotional outpouring spear in our on-going struggle to fraternity and liberty. Throughout of grief from every corner of our create a just and humane society. his life, Collins Chabane remained country and beyond the borders To calm our deep-felt agony, humble, unassuming and of South Africa. Many in public we must find among our youth committed to the struggle of our life have been remembered with and artists, who will take Minister people for a democratic, non-racial, respect and admiration, but it is Chabane’s harmonica and mbira to non-sexist and prosperous South rare to find such a universal sense remind us of both the beauty and Africa. of personal loss for the untimely fragility of life. We must compose a departure of Collins Chabane. We national song to celebrate Collins We know him to have been a quiet have seen our elderly and young, Chabane’s passion for humanity strategist in an occupation often women and men, pay tribute to and zest for life. given to populism and deafening a gentle hero who was never rhetoric. Those of you who had removed from the daily struggles A person as sensitive, caring and the privilege to watch Collins of the impoverished masses of our principled as Collins Chabane Chabane perform his music on people. had no choice but to take up the stage will know what I mean when struggle against the inequities I say that this gentle, thoughtful A colossal loss of apartheid. As democracy man played the struggle, politics dawned, he was compelled by and government work the way he Though gone too soon, his spirit his convictions to shoulder the did his music: with great talent, and memory will continue to reside responsibility of building a new commitment and certainty; but amongst our people in the villages, nation – free from exploitation, also with unassailable optimism, townships and indeed across the want and hunger. In his village with emotion, and with a beguiling land. His spirit and his WORK will of Xikundu, at Shingwedzi High mixture of shyness and humour. compel us not to rest until we have School, in the Presbyterian Church, improved their lives. Ours is a in the African National Congress, colossal loss. When we sing, lala 4 SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW Volume 10 No. 3 of 2015 TRIBUTE TO MINISTER CHABANE Credit of Photos: Department of Communications A down-to-earth person He did not think that he knew it this regard, Collins has left a proud all – he was very much aware and enduring legacy.