Gauteng Housing launches its service charter and standards

As part of the government's 2006/07 annual Public Service Delivery Week which aims to remind public servants about services they owe to the public, the department also formally adopted Service Charter and Standards, last month.

The Service Standards and Charter are driven by 11 Batho Pele guiding principles of which three namely; innovation and reward, customer impact and leadership were formulated by the department. At the launch the department committed to fulfill these principles by delivering services in accordance with service delivery standards.

Also the purpose of Service Standards and Charter is to guide the employees on how to serve clients and stakeholders on a daily basis. Service Delivery Standard among other things comprises documents needed to access services at the department and they include methods used by clients to lodge a complain.

The documents will also provide access to website in order to view the services offered at regional offices and organizational structure of GDOH as well as the functions of its senior management.

Service Charter consists of departmental service delivery standards as per chief directorate.

In her address Housing MEC Ms Nomvula Mokonyane said, "the reason behind Public Service Delivery Week is to highlight the importance of public servants' contribution to public service. But it is also an opportunity to pause, take two steps backward so that we can then move ten steps forward having improved from our own weaknesses as well as having learnt from each other."

The MEC continued: "we are gathered here to launch our own mirror so that tomorrow we can all go back to a year from now and ask ourselves are we really those members that have made these commitments, committing ourselves to serve the people of Gauteng with care, dignity as well as efficiency."

She then commended those staff members who have put the interests of the ordinary people of Gauteng first more than their own personal interests, "those of you who serve our people with pride, those of you who want to go an extra mile working in our communities and servicing the people of Gauteng ".

Lydia Sebokedi, Director: Government Internal Consulting Services of Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) reiterated the importance of applying and honouring Batho Pele principles in the workplace. She also quoted the State President, Mr Thabo Mbeki as saying "as public servants we need to serve the public with humility and continually improve the lives of the people of South Africa ".

The activities of the week included an information kiosk throughout the week to inform the public about department's programmes, a march to Beyers Naude Square to sensitize the public about how the government can improve service delivery.