Latest news with #PublicServiceAmendmentBill
IOL News
05-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Public Service Commission expands its mandate to local government
Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi says the Public Service Commission will work to institutionalise core values in local government by promoting ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and enhanced service delivery. Image: Supplied Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi has outlined the process to be followed by the Public Service Commission to extend its mandate to the local government sphere. This occurs as the Public Service Commission Amendment Bill is being processed in Parliament. 'Over the next two and a half years, the Public Service Commission will work to institutionalise core values in local government, promoting ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and enhanced service delivery. "By the end of the seventh administration, we expect to have made significant progress in institutionalising these values across all spheres of government, including state-owned entities,' Buthelezi said. The Public Service Amendment Bill was first introduced in Parliament in October 2023 and lapsed at the end of the sixth administration in May 2024. It was revived at the start of this administration in July 2024 and was referred to the Public Service and Administration Portfolio Committee. The amendment bill has since been passed by the National Assembly in March and was transmitted to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence. Buthelezi said the recent adoption of the Public Service Commission Amendment Bill by the National Assembly marked a significant milestone in their commitment to strengthening the role of the commission in affirming its independence as a vital constitutional safeguard for promoting an ethical value system and good governance. 'The bill aims to achieve several key objectives. Firstly, it establishes a secretariat for the commission, enabling it to function as an independent and impartial constitutional body. This enhancement will support the commission in effectively fulfilling its mandate across the entire public administration, including local government and public entities,' he said. Buthelezi also said the bill sought to improve the efficiency and impact of the commission by legally obligating Members of the Executive to act on the recommendations the commission issued after conducting investigations. 'This measure is key as we collectively build a capable, ethical, and developmental state where accountability is the standard for all of us.' Buthelezi said they were strengthening the role of the Public Service Commission in the appointment of key people such as directors-general, deputy directors-general, CEOs of state-owned entities, board members, and other senior positions. 'The Public Service Commission has established a preliminary database of technical experts to participate in high-level selection committees for appointing top executives in the public sector. This database will be refined further, and a Good Practice Guide for Executive Recruitment will be developed.' He also said the progress made with the processing of the bill so far was a significant step towards the achievement of the objectives as outlined by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation Address.
The Citizen
01-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Gauteng CoGTA sets out vision to improve local service delivery
The Gauteng Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has shared its current focus areas, which include strengthening local municipalities, improving service delivery, and increasing transparency in the public sector. Earlier in May, MEC Jacob Mamabolo met with the Public Service Commission (PSC) commissioner Vusumuzi Mavuso to discuss governance and oversight. During the meeting, Mavuso confirmed that Parliament approved the Public Service Amendment Bill, and that it would be referred to all provinces for consideration. CoGTA has stated that the Constitution and the Batho Pele principles, which promote accountability, openness, and citizen-focused service delivery, guide its approach. In 2023, the department held a Local Government Turnaround Summit attended by representatives from all 11 Gauteng municipalities, national and provincial governments, traditional leaders, and state-owned entities. The summit addressed common challenges facing municipalities and discussed potential solutions under the theme 'Building smart and resilient municipalities of the future'. CoGTA believes municipalities are key to delivering essential services such as water, electricity, and sanitation. The department has identified leadership development, skills training, and ethical governance as areas for improvement. During recent public emergencies – including the Covid-19 pandemic and floods in parts of the province – municipal workers and emergency personnel assisted in providing aid such as food parcels, water, and shelter. CoGTA says it continues to roll out training and capacity-building initiatives for municipal staff. The goal is to improve management practices and responsiveness to service delivery issues. Some municipalities in Gauteng have faced ongoing concerns from residents about infrastructure, service interruptions, and administrative backlogs. The department has not yet provided detailed timelines for when specific improvements might be visible. The Public Service Amendment Bill, if passed by all provinces, would give the PSC a broader role in monitoring performance at the municipal level. This change is expected to affect how accountability is managed across all levels of government. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
31-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Gauteng CoGTA outlines plans to improve local government performance
The Gauteng Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has shared its current focus areas, which include strengthening local municipalities, improving service delivery, and increasing transparency in the public sector. Earlier in May, MEC Jacob Mamabolo met with the Public Service Commission (PSC) commissioner Vusumuzi Mavuso to discuss governance and oversight. During the meeting, Mavuso confirmed that Parliament approved the Public Service Amendment Bill, and that it would be referred to all provinces for consideration. ALSO READ: CoGTA has stated that the Constitution and the Batho Pele principles, which promote accountability, openness, and citizen-focused service delivery, guide its approach. In 2023, the department held a Local Government Turnaround Summit attended by representatives from all 11 Gauteng municipalities, national and provincial governments, traditional leaders, and state-owned entities. The summit addressed common challenges facing municipalities and discussed potential solutions under the theme 'Building smart and resilient municipalities of the future'. CoGTA believes municipalities are key to delivering essential services such as water, electricity, and sanitation. The department has identified leadership development, skills training, and ethical governance as areas for improvement. During recent public emergencies – including the Covid-19 pandemic and floods in parts of the province – municipal workers and emergency personnel assisted in providing aid such as food parcels, water, and shelter. CoGTA says it continues to roll out training and capacity-building initiatives for municipal staff. The goal is to improve management practices and responsiveness to service delivery issues. Some municipalities in Gauteng have faced ongoing concerns from residents about infrastructure, service interruptions, and administrative backlogs. The department has not yet provided detailed timelines for when specific improvements might be visible. The Public Service Amendment Bill, if passed by all provinces, would give the PSC a broader role in monitoring performance at the municipal level. This change is expected to affect how accountability is managed across all levels of government. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Gauteng CoGTA targets better performance in local government
The Gauteng Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has shared its current focus areas, which include strengthening local municipalities, improving service delivery, and increasing transparency in the public sector. Earlier in May, MEC Jacob Mamabolo met with the Public Service Commission (PSC) commissioner Vusumuzi Mavuso to discuss governance and oversight. During the meeting, Mavuso confirmed that Parliament approved the Public Service Amendment Bill, and that it would be referred to all provinces for consideration. ALSO READ: City of Ekurhuleni warns residents of fake electricity token scam CoGTA has stated that the Constitution and the Batho Pele principles, which promote accountability, openness, and citizen-focused service delivery, guide its approach. In 2023, the department held a Local Government Turnaround Summit attended by representatives from all 11 Gauteng municipalities, national and provincial governments, traditional leaders, and state-owned entities. The summit addressed common challenges facing municipalities and discussed potential solutions under the theme 'Building smart and resilient municipalities of the future'. CoGTA believes municipalities are key to delivering essential services such as water, electricity, and sanitation. The department has identified leadership development, skills training, and ethical governance as areas for improvement. During recent public emergencies – including the Covid-19 pandemic and floods in parts of the province – municipal workers and emergency personnel assisted in providing aid such as food parcels, water, and shelter. CoGTA says it continues to roll out training and capacity-building initiatives for municipal staff. The goal is to improve management practices and responsiveness to service delivery issues. Some municipalities in Gauteng have faced ongoing concerns from residents about infrastructure, service interruptions, and administrative backlogs. ALSO READ: City of Ekurhuleni empowers artists with social media masterclass The department has not yet provided detailed timelines for when specific improvements might be visible. The Public Service Amendment Bill, if passed by all provinces, would give the PSC a broader role in monitoring performance at the municipal level. This change is expected to affect how accountability is managed across all levels of government. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
