Public Service Commission

1. 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

2. Presentation Outline • Introduction • Batho Pele Audits • Citizen Satisfaction Surveys • Conclusion

3. 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

4. PSC’s 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)

5. Batho Pele Audits (cont’d) • 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

7. PSC’s Batho Pele Survey, 2000 (cont’d) 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

8. PSC’s Batho Pele Survey, 2000 (cont’d) • 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 department’s service delivery performance and the individual performance of staff members

9. Recommendations from PSC’s 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

10. 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

11. Key findings: Service Standards principle (cont’d) • 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

12. 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

13. Recommendations: Service Standards Principle (cont’d) • The development of service standards should be part of departments’ work plans • Standardised process for engaging external stakeholders in the development of service standards

14. 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

15. Key Findings: Access Principle (cont’d) • 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

16. Self rating on accessibility of services and compliance with access principle

17. 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

18. 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

19. Key Findings: Redress Principle (cont’d) • 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

20. Self-rating on the implementation of redress

21. 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

22. PSC’s 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

23. 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)

24. Overall Findings of CSS Average 71%

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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 M&E of services through extensive consultation

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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 M&E 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

32. Thank you