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BuaNews (Tshwane)

South Africa: Workplaces Should Reflect More Women, Disabled People

Nthambeleni Gabara

23 June 2008

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Pretoria — There is a need to address challenges delaying the achievement of representivity of women and people with disabilities in the workplace, says Nomboniso Gasa from the Commission for Gender Equality.

Ms Gasa was speaking during the national celebrations of Africa Public Service Day (APSD) in Pretoria on Monday.

"Departments should ensure there are reasonable accommodation of women and people with disabilities in the workplace," she said.

Ms Gasa said areas that needed attention included reinforcing the pillars that support growth and development to ensure that the gains achieved can be sustained.

Representing the Public Service Commission (PSC), Commissioner Koko Mashego said the transformation trajectory in the country inspired the public service to meet the needs of the citizens in a responsive manner and involve them in policy making processes.

She said this had created a sense that policy development was a shared responsibility between government and civil society.

"As public servants we need to respond to people's needs, while the public need to be encouraged to participate in policy making," she said.

She said Batho Pele loosely translated as People First principles were developed to serve as acceptable policy and legislative framework regarding service delivery in the public service.

In South Africa, the principles are aligned with the Constitutional ideals of:

•  Promoting and maintaining high standards of professional ethics;

•  Providing service impartially, fairly, equitably and without bias;

•  Utilising resources efficiently and effectively;

•  Responding to people's needs; the citizens are encouraged to participate in policy making and

•  Rendering an accountable, transparent and development oriented public administration.

Also speaking at the celebrations was Professor Shadrack Gutto from the University of South Africa, who said public servants should refrain from acting as bosses in order to improve the quality of services.

"Public servants who regard themselves as bosses need to change their mindset which is hindering service delivery," he said.

According to the professor, those who regard themselves as bosses, they see the state as separate from people.

He said such mindsets need to be eradicated because the state is like a charity organisation which caters for those who are less fortunate in life.

APSD is an annual event in which all African countries share best practices, challenges and progress in respect of transformation programmes.

The Pan African Conference of Ministers in 2001, declared 23 June as the APSD Day.

Its chair is South African Minister of Public Service and Administration, Geraldine Fraser- Moleketi.

The main purpose of the day is to bring public servants together to commemorate the value and virtue of service delivery improvement to the communities they serve.

This year's theme is "From Policy to Result-based Implementation" and the day was celebrated in partnership with the United Nations.

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