Public Service Commission recommendations: Audit on Implementation

Meeting report

Prof Stan Skhumbuzo Sangweni, PSC Chairperson, introduced the Public Service Commissioners present and Mr Mashwahle Diphofa, PSC Deputy Director General. The Public Service Commission explained the status of their 2146 PSC recommendations issued between January 2005 and December 2007. The recommendations were classified either as generic or specific recommendations. The generic categorisation meant that the recommendations applied to the public sector as a whole while specific recommendations required a specific administrative action by a specific department. There were 1783 specific recommendations and 954 of these had been implemented by the relevant departments. The PSC was still following up the status of 825 recommendations while 4 had not been implemented because the departments did not agree with them. There were 363 generic recommendations.

The PSC provided a breakdown of the number of recommendations that it had made for each province and the Eastern Cape had the most number of recommendations. The PSC looked at the impact that its recommendations had on departments and also outlined a way forward. It said that it had started a process of strengthening its tracking mechanisms to enhance its oversight work. It intended improving the protocols for communicating with departments.

Discussion
Mr K Minnie (DA) commented that what the PSC had done was a “work in progress” and that he fully agreed with the recommendations of the PSC. However he wished to know which departments were not complying so that the Committee could follow up on them.

Prof S Sangweni replied that they as the PSC were not raising any alarm as disagreement was not defiance. There was no particular department that was not complying and thus it was not necessary for the Committee to deal with any department.

Mr M Sikakane (ANC) followed up by asking what the Committee could do to assist the PSC in ensuring the implementation of its recommendations.

Mr David Mashego, PSC Commissioner, echoed Prof Sangweni words that there was no problem with regards to compliance. He highlighted some of the PSC’s successes. The major problem was compliance on generic issues, as certain departments did not have service delivery standards. He agreed that there should be a mechanism for Parliament to follow up on the implementation of recommendations.

Mr K Khumalo referred to the “Way Forward” in the presentation document and asked when the guidelines or protocols for PSC communication with departments would be available as the Committee needed a deadline.

Prof. Sangweni said that they could not provide the date on which the guidelines would be available as they needed to wait on Parliament for certain things.

Mr Sikakane asked the PSC who monitored the other Chapter 9 institutions, as he felt that the PSC would be able to fulfil that role well.

Commissioner Nozipho Mxakatho-Diseko replied that it was the role of Parliament to monitor the Chapter 9 institutions.

Ms J Matsomela (ANC) said that she had learnt that the Auditor-General also monitored service delivery by departments. She asked how this would affect the work of the PSC as it seemed to overlap.

Commissioner Mxakatho-Diseko said that the PSC had a memorandum of understanding with the Auditor-General as to what each should cover as due to a lack of funds the PSC could not cover certain matters. She said that there was no need for the Committee to worry about the Commission and the Auditor-General overlapping each other as they had a memorandum of understanding and a sound working relationship.  Mr Meshego added that the PSC and the Auditor-General had a joint task team.

The Chairperson thanked the PSC for its work.

The second topic on the agenda, the adoption of internal strengthening arrangements, was cancelled.

The meeting was adjourned.