Department of Public Service and Administration Takes Steps to Enhance Service Delivery Improvement

In a recent presentation at the Management Committee (MANCO) meeting, Ismail Davids from the branch Government Service Access Improvement (GSAI) within the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) shared the outcomes of a 5-year Organizational Productivity Assessment conducted between 2017 and 2022. The assessment, which utilized the MPSA-approved Public Service Productivity Measurement Instrument, presented a mixed review of the DPSA’s productivity during that period.

Quantitative examination uncovered a blend of positive and concerning trends. On a favorable note, the department’s personnel costs as a percentage of total expenditure remained relatively low compared to other public service entities, with a moderate 28% increase between 2017 and 2022. There was also a commendable alignment between organizational targets achievement (roughly 80%) and total expenditure (around 90%). Furthermore, the DPSA showcased exemplary leave management with no instances of unauthorized expenditure throughout the assessment period.

However, the evaluation also pinpointed several worrying areas. Particularly, the DPSA witnessed a significant drop in labor productivity during the 2019/20 fiscal year, reaching only about half of its full capacity. The vacancy rate averaged at 14.4% over the five-year span, consistently exceeding the unofficial ‘standard’ of 10% set for the public service.

Qualitative findings highlighted concerns regarding employee discipline, notably a sharp surge in grievances from 2019 to 2021. Additionally, the department’s investment in employee skill development was found to be deficient, encompassing both hard skills related to digital transformation and soft skills such as teamwork and values alignment.

Responding to these discoveries, Mr. Davids proposed a set of recommendations to tackle the identified issues. These suggestions include conducting a root cause analysis of the declining labor productivity, reassessing the vacancy rate target to a more ambitious 5%, and executing targeted skill enhancement programs to strengthen the competencies of DPSA personnel.

The final report, approved by the Director-General in December 2023, is anticipated to function as a roadmap for the DPSA in enhancing its organizational productivity and effectively fulfilling its mandate of ‘Growing South Africa together for a capable and ethical Public Service, leaving no one behind.’