Public Service Commission

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Public Service Commission

• Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Public
  Service and Administration
• 25 May 2007

Batho Pele Audits and Citizen Satisfaction
Surveys Conducted by the Public Service Commission
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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Batho Pele Audits
• Citizen Satisfaction Surveys
• Conclusion

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Introduction

• The Constitution mandates the PSC to, among other
  things investigate, monitor evaluate and
  propose measures to ensure effective and
  efficient performance
• As part of fulfilling this mandate, the PSC has
  since 2000 been evaluating the implementation of
  the White Paper on Transforming Public Service
  Delivery
• Two of the instruments used for such evaluations
  are the Batho Pele Audits and the Citizen
  Satisfaction Surveys
• This presentation outlines the key findings and
  recommendations contained in PSC reports on Batho
  Pele and Citizen Satisfaction Surveys

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PSCs Batho Pele Audits

• The studies evaluate performance and compliance
  with Batho Pele Principles
• Evaluations are done on the basis of
  questionnaires that are sent to and completed by
  officials in departments
• In 2000, all the principles were assessed
• 27 departments took part in this study (4
  national and 23 provincial)

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Batho Pele Audits (contd)

• This was followed by an assessment of compliance
  with principles of
• Service Standards (2004/05)
• Access (2005/06)
• Redress (2005/06)
• The PSC is currently completing reports on
  compliance with the principles of Value for Money
  and Consultation, respectively
• In 2007/08 the PSC will assess compliance with
  the principle of Openness and Transparency

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(No Transcript)
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PSCs Batho Pele Survey, 2000 (contd)

• It was found that
• There was a general lack of practical skills in
  the Public Service to apply the Batho Pele
  principles
• Service Delivery Improvement Programmes were a
  separate campaign from the day to day business of
  departments
• Departments frequently placed demands for
  improved/new services on service delivery units
  without looking at costs

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PSCs Batho Pele Survey, 2000 (contd)

• Service Delivery Improvement Programmes were
  simply listings of consultation arrangements,
  standards and complaints procedures
• The Batho Pele policy had not changed the daily
  tasks of front-line personnel
• Performance management systems had not been
  adjusted to establish clear links between a
  departments service delivery performance and the
  individual performance of staff members

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Recommendations from PSCs Batho Pele Survey, 2000

• The DPSA should establish an appropriately
  resourced support programme for departments
• Batho Pele Principles should be integrated into
  Strategic plans of departments
• Performance management systems must be adjusted
  to link individual and organizational performance
  
• The results of consultation with citizens should
  be analysed and presented as management reports
• Departments must align their service delivery
  capacity with the required service delivery
  improvements

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Key findings Service Standards principle
(2004/5)

• 52 of departments had service standards
• 69 of the departments that submitted service
  standards complied with the concept of Quantity,
  Quality and Time
• Only 27 had service standards that specifically
  address redress or complaints
• Only 14 made mention of the cost of their
  services in their service standards
• BPP were submitted as service standards by some
  departments

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Key findings Service Standards principle
(contd)

• Outputs and service delivery trends presented as
  service standards
• Many departments do not have resources allocated
  to development of service standards
• Lack of consultation with external and internal
  stakeholders during the development of service
  standards

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Recommendations Service Standards Principle

• DPSA should actively promote the Batho Pele
  Handbook to demonstrate the important link
  between service standards and strategic
  objectives
• Departments goals and objectives should link
  with service standards
• Develop a common approach to service standards to
  ensure consistency in measuring performance and
  the progress made in improving service delivery

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Recommendations Service Standards Principle
(contd)

• The development of service standards should be
  part of departments work plans
• Standardised process for engaging external
  stakeholders in the development of service
  standards

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Key Findings Access Principle (2005/6)

• 50 of national and 46 of provincial departments
  reported that they have developed access
  standards
• 90 of national and 86 of provincial departments
  reported that they have put in place measures to
  improve access to their services e.g. call
  centres, toll-free lines and help desks
• Only 8 national and 41 provincial departments
  indicated that they have consulted stakeholders
  in the development of their access targets

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Key Findings Access Principle (contd)

• Only half of the departments indicated that they
  have signage and that their services were clearly
  shown in the signage.
• Less than 50 of all departments indicated that
  they have systems to monitor their performance
  against the access targets and standards

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Self rating on accessibility of services and
compliance with access principle
National Provincial
Excellent 5 5
Good 35 39
Adequate 30 38
Poor 10 8
Very Poor - 1
Not indicated 20 9
Total 100 100
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Recommendations Access Principle

• Departments that are not performing well on
  access should set targets to ensure progressive
  improvement
• Such targets should address consultation with
  clients, including vulnerable groups
• Progress on ensuring access should be assessed as
  part of performance management systems
• Basic minimum standards on access are needed

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Key Findings Redress Principle (2005/6)

• 90 of national and 84 of provincial departments
  reported that they have some form of complaint
  handling mechanisms (some structured and others
  highly informal)
• 67 of national and 51 of provincial departments
  said that they have written guidelines on the
  handling of complaints
• 73 of all departments indicated that the clients
  are aware of their complaints mechanisms

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Key Findings Redress Principle (contd)

• Less than half of all departments indicated that
  they have set targets to improve their complaint
  handling systems
• Only 29 of national and 18 of provincial
  departments indicated that they have a system to
  monitor performance on redress

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Self-rating on the implementation of redress
National Provincial
Excellent 5 2
Good 33 24
Adequate 24 45
Poor 29 14
Very Poor 10 7
No answer - 8
Total 100 100
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Recommendations Redress Principle

• Departments should set and implement clear
  targets and standards for handling complaints and
  ensuring redress
• Departments should benchmark their
  complaints-handling mechanisms against comparable
  institutions
• Departments need to monitor the handling of
  complaints
• Departments should enforce accountability for the
  complaints-handling system

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PSCs Citizen Satisfaction Surveys

• The Surveys assess the level of citizens
  satisfaction with the service provided by
  government departments
• Satisfaction is assessed in relation to
  accessibility of services, attention is given to
  tangibles, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and
  reliability
• The studies focus on specific services and use a
  representative sample of the users of services

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Satisfaction Surveys Conducted

• 2003 Social Sector (Departments are Housing,
  Education, Health and Social Development)
• 2005 Criminal Justice Sector (Departments are
  SAPS, Justice and Constitutional development and
  Correctional Services
• 2006 Economic and Infrastructure Service Sector
  (Departments are Agriculture and Land Affairs and
  Water and Forestry
• 2007 Home Affairs, DTI and Provincial transports
  services (report is currently being finalized)

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Overall Findings of CSS
Average 71
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Key Findings Social Sector (2003)

• Areas of satisfaction
• Accessibility of offices, appearance of staff and
  staff attitude and behaviour
• Areas of concern
• Waiting period for assistance
• Staff did not offer to follow-up or take contact
  details to facilitate follow up
• Application/registration forms and information
  booklets were often not available

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Recommendations Social Sector

• Measure satisfaction level annually
• Departments should integrate data from CSS into
  performance measurement systems
• Incorporate the elements of CSS in the
  Departments Service Delivery Improvement Plans
• Identify managers key delivery areas to be
  measured by the survey

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Key Findings Criminal Justice Sector (2005)

• Physical access to service points
• Generally adequate for urban dwellers
• Challenge in rural areas
• Courtesy and respect by public servants rated
  high
• Availability of information
• Signage information desks overall not adequate
  and more basic information needed
• Lack of complaint handling mechanism

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Recommendations Criminal Justice Sector

• Access by disabled and rural population must be
  attended to
• Accessible and transparent complaints mechanisms
• Greater coordination amongst departments in CJS
• Need ongoing ME of services through extensive
  consultation

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Key Findings Economic Infrastructure Sector
(2006)

• Service points accessible
• Negative gap between service expectations and
  experience exist
• Poor turn around time
• Application processes for permits complex
• Satisfaction scores ranged from 62 to 81
• Clients generally satisfied with staff
• Signage at service sites unsatisfactory

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Recommendations Economic Infrastructure Sector

• Application processes to be simplified
• Record-keeping and accuracy of information need
  to be attended to
• Signage needs to be improved
• Access to services via internet must be
  considered
• Administrative and turn around time must be
  evaluated

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Conclusion

• Progress on the implementation of Batho Pele is
  uneven
• Compliance varies from one principle to the other
• Principles not linked to departments SDIPs
• Lack of ME that is specific to assess and
  measure the BPP
• BPP not integrated to Departments mainstream
  programmes
• PSC will continue to update the executive about
  progress made in both compliance and citizen
  satisfaction

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• Thank you