Chairperson, I need to mention upfront that I am not the hon Leonard Ramatlakane. [Interjections.] The speech belongs to him. If you want to know me, you must come to my office.
Hon Minister and members of this House, the Department of Public Service and Administration remains a critical department regarding government programme implementation.
It is an important department, because it regulates state machinery. The core function of this department is to ensure that all government personnel adhere to the code of good practice. It is this department that regulates uniformity within government personnel policies. It is this department that must ensure that the Senior Management Service, SMS, and other personnel receive empowerment and training aimed at improving service delivery.
Additionally, the Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy, Palama, and State Information Technology Agency, Sita, account to the Department of Public Service and Administration. These institutions receive direction from the Department of Public Service and Administration. The Minister is therefore entrusted with the responsibility of steering the ship to safe shores.
The Budget Vote today, and that of the previous year, should help the Minister to crack the whip so that the President's state of the nation address directives can be implemented. In the past, as mentioned, Minister, the department has dropped the ball. When you speak about changing the focus of Palama, it inherently says that you see weakness. The leadership's voice is not emphatic when it comes to governance, rooting out corruption, and promoting good practice in the Sita. In addition to the Sita's irregular expenditure of R214 million, it has also not complied with the Public Finance Management Act. We have grave concerns that the Minister is not cracking the whip on the mismanagement of public funds.
We are even more concerned that he is not voicing his concerns publicly about the fact that public funds have been mismanaged to such an extent. The Minister should be saying that the funds that have been mismanaged should be recovered, be repaid and/or justice be served upon the perpetrators. [Interjections.]
The department continues to drop the ball when it comes to enforcing general compliance with the Senior Management Service Handbook. We continue to see long suspensions with pay. Furthermore, officials avoid disciplinary hearings by taking a transfer or a negotiated transfer to a sister governmental department as a way to close their misconduct hearing. Why is it that the department, Minister, continues to fail in enforcing compliance with the regulations?
The matter of fighting corruption and the conduct of the Senior Management Service remains a pipe dream. The Senior Management Service failed to declare its public interests and continued to receive bonuses through using its family names. Only 15 directors-general had declared their financial interest by the 31 May deadline in 2010. What is more, the noncompliance in respect of signing performance agreements is a direct result of the executive authority's failure to enforce and maintain accountability and compliance.
Cope can only conclude that these actions by the Senior Management Service, or the department's failure, are a clear indication that the President's anticorruption calls are being defied. [Interjections.] If this is not true, what then has been done? Which Senior Management Service official has been shown the door?
Furthermore, the Constitution is clear about Chapter 9 institutions such as the Public Service Commission, PSC. Every year, we repeat ourselves, saying that the budget should be separated, because the joint budget compromises the PSC. When are we going to move forward on this issue?
Moreover, it is regrettable that the ruling party has thrown out the debate about the integration of the Public Service. This is therefore no longer a matter for consideration.
Finally, Cope wants to hear of a practical plan on how to manage the public sector wage bill. The Minister of Finance has reported that close to 40% of government's Budget goes to salaries and doesn't continue to grow. Leadership is needed within the department. This will ensure that the long- term interests are secure, thereby improving services and avoiding the contraction of those services in time to come. I thank you.