Author: svadmin

Public Service Commission (PSC) Commissioner, Michael Seloane, has called on labour unions and government to find common ground to resolve their differences over salaries in the interest of public servants and the public at large.

Seloane said the Commission is concerned that the stalemate could result in a potential strike by civil servants.

Addressing a media briefing in Tshwane on Wednesday, Seloane said the PSC is encouraged by how public servants have adapted to the new normal of hybrid work, necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He urged departments to embrace the 4th Industrial Revolution as a means of mitigating the escalation of infections.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is still within our midst and the PSC is encouraged by the public servants’ adaptation to the new normal.

“The 4th Industrial Revolution, which has been a matter of public discourse, has found traction since the start of the pandemic,” Seloane said.

Professionalising the public service

The PSC has outlined a range of remedial measures that are required to professionalise the public service in South Africa.

“The PSC welcomes the gazetting of the National Implementation Framework towards the Professionalisation of the Public Service by the National School of Government,” Seloane said.

The National Implementation Framework Document is an ambitious attempt to set the public administration on a path towards a capable and developmental State that is in line with the proposals contained in the National Development Plan and the 2015 Discussion Document.

With regard to service delivery complaints management in the public service, Seloane said the PSC conducted a study during 2020/21 to assess the effectiveness of complaints management.

“It showed that the current state of complaints management in the public service is largely unresponsive to citizen complaints but that opportunities do exist for an improvement of the complaints management systems of departments.

“One of the biggest challenges to being responsive is that there is no overarching model for complaints management in the public service.”

Seloane said departments use disparate complaints management systems, without adhering to any overarching quality standards or norms.

“The PSC envisages a quality certification process that will hopefully ensure adherence to international standards. This would also aid in establishing norms and standards that guide the consistent and prompt handling of complaints.”

Source: South African Government News Agency

The dam levels within the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), with the exception of four dams have fallen this week while one remains unchanged for the second consecutive week.

The system (IVRS) consists of 14 dams, which overlap Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State and the Northern Cape provinces.

“Continuing to drop weekly, the IVRS has decreased further this week. It dropped from the level of 89.9% last week to 89.5% this week. In the previous year during the same week, the system was at 66.3%. This indicates that it had recovered over the months, placing it in a healthy status,” the Department of Water and Sanitation said on Wednesday.

Some of the dams within the system, which have recorded a decline, include the Vaal and the Grootdraai dams.

“On its part, the Vaal Dam saw a drop from 98.7% last week to 98.0% this week. The present level of the dam is a leap up compared with the 48.2% it was during the same week last year. Before the current decrease in the level of the dam, it had soared quite considerably to breach the 100% mark,” the department said.

The level of the Grootdraai Dam has similarly fallen this week.

“It dipped from last week’s 90.8% to 89.9%. In the preceding year at the same time, it was still firmer at 86.2% but lesser compared to the present level.

“In the Free State, the Bloemhof Dam also recorded a decline. The dam is currently hovering at 106.4%, down from last week’s 107.6%. At the same time last year, the dam was at 100.1%,” the department said.

In contrast to the Bloemhof Dam, the Sterkfontein Dam has seen an upsurge this week.

“The dam increased slightly from 98.7% this week to 98.9%. The dam presently looks certain to hit the 100%, if its present level is anything to go by,” the department said.

Both of Lesotho’s Katse and the Mohale dams continue to drop each week.

“The former dam has declined to 74.5% this week. This is down from the level of 75.2% at which it hovered last week. At the same time last year, it was further down at below the 50% mark at 36.0%

“As for the former dam, it sunk to 36.5% from last week’s 37.0%. The current level is however a jump from the 12.2% of last year at the same time,” the department said.

The department’s weekly state of reservoir report on the other dams within the system are as follows:

• Woodstock – 97.0%

• Zaaihoek – 98.6%

• Jericho – 81.4%

• Westoe – 78.6%

• Morgenstond – 85.4%

• Heyshope – 86.5%

• Nooitgedacht – 95.6%

• Vygeboom – 100.6%

In a bid to conserve water, the department has appealed to water users to install a dual flush toilet or alternatively to avoid pressing the lever completely when flushing urine.

“It is recommended that consumers with large tanks to install a cistern displacement device in the toilet to reduce the amount of water used per flush,” the department said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Eskom has announced that load shedding will now increase to Stage 4 from Stage 2 on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the State-owned entity, the power cut will then revert to Stage 2 later this evening, as it earlier stated in the morning.

“Due to additional breakdowns of a unit at Medupi and two units at Duvha power station, together with the high winter demand, Eskom regrets to inform the public that Stage 4 load shedding,” said Eskom in a statement.

According to the entity, the power cuts will occur from 2pm until 10pm to “ration” the remaining emergency generation reserves, which are depleted.

“These emergency reserves are required to respond to further emergencies in order to maintain the stability of the national grid. Thereafter, Stage 2 load shedding will be implemented as previously communicated.”

Eskom said breakdowns currently total 15 087MW of capacity, while planned maintenance is 1 273MW.

“These capacity constraints will continue for the foreseeable future and all South Africans are urged to reduce their use of electricity.”

The entity has since apologised for the inconvenience and uncertainty caused by interruptions in the electricity supply.

Source: South African Government News Agency