Public Service and Administration Minister, Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, has outlined a series of activities his department will spearhead as part of this year’s Integrated Public Service Month (IPSM).

Activities will kick off on Thursday and will feature among others, roadblock inspections, service delivery site spot checks and an imbizo which will be led by the Minister.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in Pretoria on Monday, Buthelezi said during the course of the month, government will introduce the Ethics Committee Procedure and provide training on Lifestyle Audit Investigations and Discipline Management.

This is aimed at reinforcing the ethical foundations of the public service.

‘In collaboration with The Ethics Institute, we will conduct an independent survey to assess the state of ethics in public administration,’ the Minister said.

September marks public service month in South Africa. The IPSM serves as a reminder of what it means to serve co
mmunities and to also look at the impact the government has, especially around issues of service delivery.

As part of Public Service Month, public servants are expected to roll up their sleeves and spring-clean their service delivery points and unblock the bottlenecks and red-tape in the delivery of services, among others.

On Thursday,12 September, the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) will host a dialogue focusing on enhancing services for persons with disabilities. The dialogue is aimed at improving the lives of those living with disabilities and informing policy recommendations.

The Service Delivery Monitoring Week will be held from 16-22 September.

The Minister explained that the initiative will emphasise the importance of intergovernmental collaboration to ensure effective service delivery and this will include visits to key facilities which include:

Presidential Hotline visit in Centurion on 17 September at 9 am

Site visit at Maponya Mall Thusong Centre on 18 September at 9
am

Bronkhorstspruit Hospital on 19 September at 9 am

Also as part of the IPSM, Batho Pele Week (hybrid events) will be held.

These include:

Dialogue on Public Service Charter (Gauteng) – hybrid event on 25 September.

Batho Pele – Walkie Talkie – physical event in Rustenburg on 27 September.

The final week of the IPSM week will include:

International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) four-day conference in Gauteng – physical event from 1-5 October 2024

Centre for Public Service Innovation (CPSI) Hackathon weekend in the Northern Cape – physical event from 4-6 October 2024

GEMS Big Walk for all government employees – Sunday, 6 October 2024

Buthelezi said the wellbeing of public servants remains a priority and that government is committed to addressing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, including developing integrated mental health strategies.

‘As we move forward, we invite all stakeholders to join us in our efforts to strengthen the public service a
nd restore trust in our institutions,’ the Minister said.

Source: South African Government News Agency