Government to launch Integrated Wide Public Service Month

Members of the media are invited to the event as follows:
Date: Thursday, 29 August 2019
Time: 08H30
Venue: The Ranch Hotel, Polokwane, Limpopo Province

Kindly confirm attendance with: Ms Wisane Mavasa at 0828061351/ wisane.mavasa@dpsa.gov.za

The Minister for the Public Service and Administration, Mr Senzo Mchunu will this Thursday, 29 August 2019, launch the Integrated Government Wide Public Service Month (IGW-PSM) in Polokwane, Limpopo Province, setting-off a series of activities earmarked to celebrate in an integrated, coordinated and coherent way the annual Public Service Month programme.

This will include the celebration of our rich heritage and our liberation heritage as a country, led by the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, as well as the promotion of South Africa as a tourist destination of choice, led by the Department of Tourism.

The Public Service Month will also include the celebration of National Police Day to be held at the lawns of the Union Buildings, in Pretoria, on 1 September 2019 where the President will honour our police officials who have lost their lives and dedicated their lives at the service of South African people.

The launch of Public Service Month will kick-start the month-long activities by various government departments that will be rolled out across the country in all three spheres of government from 1 September to 4 October under the theme: “Khawuleza: Taking Public Service to the People: We Belong, We Care, We Serve.”

The focus of this year’s Public Service Month will be about reviving the ethos of Batho Pele – the notion of Putting People First, and to re-orientate public servants back into the Service Charter – commitment that demands that they serve with integrity and professionalism, while visibly portraying a positive attitude. The spirit of Batho Pele remains a crux that defines Public Service across all government.

Through the Public Service Month government seeks to call on all public servants to have a sense of urgency in the manner in which they are serving citizens.

The PSM, which includes Tourism and Heritage Month programme, seeks to promote the professionalisation of the Public Service, adding to the implementation of the National

Development Plan (NDP) which identified specific steps that need to be undertaken to build an efficient, effective and development-oriented Public Service as part building a capable and

developmental state.

The programme further promotes the values and principles of public administration

as contained in Section 195 of the Constitution. The NDP highlights the need for well-run and effectively coordinated state institutions with skilled public servants who are committed to the public good and capable of delivering consistently high-quality services, while prioritising the nation’s developmental objectives.

Amongst others, these objectives encourage learners to be proud of their history, heritage and culture. History, heritage and culture are important for understanding the past, analysing the present and planning for the future and create awareness on the enormous contribution that the tourism industry makes to the economic growth and job creation.

The September month is identified by government to reignite, instill and rebuild good ethics and professionalism in how public servants do their work, and to serve as an opportunity to highlight service delivery improvement initiatives across all three spheres of government.

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