Die afgelope paar dae en veral gister en vandag was dit vir my opvallend dat die partye hier in die Huis en in die komiteevergaderings almal baie bekommerd is oor die gehalte en volhoubaarheid van dienslewering. Ek gaan my toespits op dienslewering deur munisipaliteite, omdat ek daarvan ondervinding het.
As ons kyk na al die stelsels, besigheidsplanne, ens, dan glo ek die stelsel moet geloof en geprys word. Die GOP, IDP, begrotings van die verskillende rade en SDIP as 'n kontrolemeganisme laat dit blyk asof alles net met hierdie groot en effektiewe ondersteuningsdienste moet gebeur.
Daar is amptenare en bestuurders wat baie bekwaam voorkom, en salarisse verdien wat sterk kompeteer met poste in die private sektor, maar waar bestuurders aan groter risiko's blootgestel is. Ministers en amptenare doen verklarings en gee oplossings vir alle probleme en planne wat net voorspoed voorspel.
As jy egter na die radio luister, koerante lees, televisie kyk, of net jou eie omgewing rondom jou waarneem, dan besef jy dat rens is daar 'n groot fout. Daar is strate met gate en spoelslote waarvoor jy 'n vier-by-vier nodig het. Inwoners kla dat hul watertoevoer en kragtoevoer baie onbetroubaar is en onderbrekings kom gereeld voor. In sommige woonbuurte vloei menslike afval in die strate af. In sommige gebiede is daar geen of baie swak diens, terwyl daar ander gebiede is waar dit goed gaan. Wat is dan die fout?
Ek wil hier saamstem met President Zuma dat openbare ampsdraers en almal in uitvoerende posisies, harder sal moet werk met die doel om beter diens te lewer. Ek moet ook met die President saamstem waar hy in 'n televisie- onderhoud ges het: "The problem is in implementation".
Sommige raadslede het nie die kapasiteit om hul werk te doen nie. Hulle woon elke moontlike funksie en kongres by maar geen terugvoering word gegee nie. Artikel 56- en 57-aanstellings verdien salarisse wat vir niks skrik nie. Hulle het almal prestasieverwante bonusse, maar ek het nog nie gesien dat enige van hulle minder as 100% kry nie.
As hulle oortree of bedrog pleeg, dan skik hulle met die betrokke raad, kry 'n goue handdruk en beweeg voort na die volgende een. Daar is nie enige skuldigbevindings teen so 'n persoon nie en nrens kan jy bespeur dat hy oortree het nie.
Vakbonde is baie goed georganiseerd en beskik oor uitstekende raadgewers wat baie goed in hul eie lede se belang optree, maar dienslewering benadeel. Arbeidswette is uiters noodsaaklik, maar vertraag dikwels produktiwiteit en effektiwiteit.
Daar word baie gepraat en geskryf oor een Staatsdiens en administrasie, met ander woorde, sentralisering, maar gaan hierdie groot, lywige departement doeltreffend wees? Die regering moet hier baie goeie navorsing doen voordat hulle so 'n stap neem.
Ek glo ons moet minder praat en meer doen en net twee woorde gebruik, dit is verantwoordelikheid en dissipline. As ons hierdie waardes gevestig kan kry, dan sal ons suksesvol wees. Ek glo daar is 'n wonderlike omgewing geskep om dienste van 'n ho gehalte te lewer, maar as daar nie dissipline en verantwoordelikheid toegepas word nie, dan gaan daar geen vordering wees nie. Besluite en optredes moet saakgerig wees en minder om eie belang gaan. Daar word eers besluite geneem om amptenare te bevoordeel en dan word die diens aan die bevolking gelewer. Batho Pele moet die wagwoord wees. Swak bestuur en dienslewering maak die armste van die armes die seerste. Hulle is nie in 'n posisie om vir hulself op te staan nie.
Ek wil dus 'n beroep doen op almal wat hier betrokke is, kom ons aanvaar die verantwoordelikheid, gebruik al die hulpmiddels en stelsels en lewer vyfsterdiens aan ons mense. Dankie. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr J M G BEKKER: The past few days, and especially yesterday and today, I was struck by the fact that the parties here in the House and in the committee meetings have all been very concerned about the standard, quality and sustainability of service delivery. I will focus on service delivery by municipalities, because that is a field where I have some experience.
If we look at all the systems, business plans, etc, then I believe the system must be praised and commended. The IDP, or integrated development plan, the budgets of the various councils, the SDIP, service delivery improvement plan, as a control measure - everything looks as if great things are about to happen, with these great and effective support services in place.
There are officials and managers who appear to be very competent and whose salaries seriously compete with posts in the private sector, where managers are exposed to great risks. Ministers and officials make announcements and offer solutions to all problems and introduce plans that herald prosperity.
But, if you listen to the radio, read the newspapers or watch TV, or simply observe your own environment, then you realise something somewhere is seriously wrong. There are roads with potholes and ditches for which you need a four-by-four. Residents complain that their water and electricity supply is very unreliable, and breakdowns occur regularly. There are neighbourhoods where human waste runs down the streets. In some areas service delivery is non-existent or very poor, while others are doing well. So, what is the problem?
I want to concur with President Zuma's view that public office bearers and all incumbents in executive posts will have to work harder in order to deliver better services. I also have to agree with the President's statement in a television interview that "the problem is in the implementation".
Some councillors lack the capacity to do their work. They attend every possible function and congress, but they never supply any feedback. Article 56 and 57 appointments earn salaries second to none. All of them have performance-related bonuses, but I have never seen any of them receive anything less than one hundred percent.
If they transgress or commit fraud they settle with the council, get a golden handshake, and move on to the next one. There are no convictions against such persons, and it is impossible to detect that they have transgressed.
Trade unions are very well organised and have excellent consultants who act in their own members' interests, but they often impede productivity and effectiveness. Labour lawas are essential, but they often impede productivity and effectivity.
Much is being said and written about one single Public Service and administration, but will this huge, voluminous department be effective? In other words, will centralisation be effective? The government must do some serious research before taking such a step.
I believe we should talk less and do more, and we should use only two terms, namely responsibility and discipline. If we can get these values established, we will be successful. I believe a wonderful environment has been created to deliver services of a high standard, but unless discipline and responsible behaviour are enforced there will be no progress.
Decisions and actions should be determined by the task at hand, and not by self-interest. Decisions are taken firstly for the officials' benefit, and thereafter service is rendered to the population. The watchword should be Batho Pele. Poor management and poor service delivery hurt the poorest of the poor the most. They are in no position to stand up for themselves.
I therefore wish to appeal to everybody concerned: Let us take responsibility, let us use all the resources and systems, and let us deliver a five-star service to our people. Thank you. [Applause.]]
UMntwana M M M ZULU: Sihlalo, mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe, Inhloko yoMnyango wakho, kanye nezikhulu zawo wonke ama-sections akho, Amalungu Ahloniphekile ale Ndlu. Ngqongqoshe ngithi angikubongele ukuthi unikezwe umsebenzi omkhulu wesizwe ukuba ubheke yonke iMinyango kahulumeni waleli lizwe.
Uma ubheka iMinyango kahulumeni wakuleli lizwe, ngithi angikukhumbuze Ngqongqoshe ukuthi kunalezi zinto ezibizwa ngokuthi ngama-Chapter Nine Institutions akhiwa uMthethosisekelo wezwe ukuthi asebenze ngokuzimela - independent. Kodwa ngithi ukuzimela kuhamba kube nama-limitation kulo lonke izwe ngoba uma singathi ngoba bazimele ngakho-ke awungeni lapho ukuthi ubheke, ngoba ngumsebenzi woMnyango wakho ukuthi ubheke ukuthi bonke abantu abaqashwayo kuwo wonke lawa ma-Chapter Nine Institution ukuthi bafanelekile yini kulowo msebenzi. Ngoba uma nizowayeka kube wuthela wayeka nje nami njengoZulu ngizisebenzele njengomumzi wami - kusho ukuthi i-mandate le enayinikezwa ngabantu ngomhla- ka 22 ... (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Prince M M M ZULU: Chairperson, hon Minister, the director-general of your department, officials of all the sections in your department, and hon members of this House, I want to congratulate the hon Minister on being given such a huge responsibility of monitoring all the departments of this government.
If you look at the departments of this government, I want to remind you, hon Minister, that there are these structures that are known as Chapter 9 institutions which were created in accordance with the Constitution of the country to work independently. But, I am saying that independence has its limits throughout the country. We cannot say that because they are independent you should oversee their performance. It is the task of your department to see to it that everybody who is employed in these Chapter 9 institutions is qualified to do the job.
If you are going to allow them to do as they please - if I, as Prince Zulu, were to operate like I do at my place - that would mean that the mandate you received from the people on 22 April ...]
... is questionable.
Ngoba nibhekele bona abantu bakithi eNingizimu Afrika ukuba wonke lawa ma- state organs ayayilandela yini imithetho nemitheshwana yelizwe.
Ngithi ngisheshise nje ngikuhalalisele ephusheni lakho lokuthi zonke izifundiswa zakithi noma lokhu okuthiwa phecelezi ama-graduates asefundile nizoba nama-data base ukuthi niqoqe bonke abantu ukuthi bathole imisebenzi bakwazi ukusebenza. Ngith-ke kulelo phupho lakho ngikufisela inhlanhla Ngqongqoshe kuloMnyango wakho sengathi ungakubhekisisa lokho.
Ngiphinde ngibuye futhi ngithi Ngqongqoshe, kunomasipala, omasipala akusho ukuthi bazimele kuleli lizwe - akukho Federal State ekhona kuleli lizwe. Uma ingekho-ke i-Fedaral State, ngizocela-ke futhi ukuthi nomasipala ubabhekisise ngoba kuneZinhloko ZeMinyango ezikhona ezingasebenzi ngendlela ekuyiyona yona kubo bonke ikakhulukazi la bomasipala basemakhaya uthola ukuthi bakwazi ukushaya imithetho ngaphezu kwamakhansela namkhansela nawo abesabe.
Kodwa-ke uMnyango wakho ngiyacabanga ukuthi bayowesaba kakhulu ngoba uyobe ubhekene ngqo nabo kanye nokubheka ukuthi kuhamba kanjani ukuze lokhu okuthiwa 'ubuntu/botho' okhuluma ngakho kwenze ukuthi abantu bazuze kuzo zonke lezi zinkalo zakithi kuleli lizwe. Ngibonge kakhulu, Mphathisihlalo. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Because you act on behalf of the people of South Africa to see to it that all these state organs follow the laws and regulations of this country.
I wish to congratulate you in anticipation of your dream of establishing a database for all the graduates so that every one will be able to find work. I am, therefore, saying that I wish you well in this department and good luck, hon Minister; may you succeed in this venture.
Hon Minister, I also wish to say that there are municipalities which are not independent in this country. There is no federal state in this country. As there is no federal state, I would like to request you to monitor the municipalities too, because there are heads of departments who are not operating properly in all municipalities, especially in the rural municipalities. They impose laws on the councillors and some councillors are scared of them.
But, I think that they will be too scared of your department because it will be directly focusing on them by monitoring what we call "ubuntu botho" that you referred to so that everybody in every locality of this country could benefit. Thank you very much, Chairperson. [Applause.]]