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Mchunu urges public servants to be ambassadors of govt as they return to work

Minister for Public Service and Administration Senzo Mchunu

Minister for Public Service and Administration Senzo Mchunu

8th May 2020

By: Sane Dhlamini

Creamer Media Senior Contributing Editor and Researcher

     

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For government to facilitate the unlocking of the economy more public servants need to return to work and while they do so, they should remain ambassadors for government as the country fights the coronavirus (Covid-19).

Minister for Public Service and Administration Senzo Mchunu on Friday unpacked his department’s state of readiness for public service operations during the pandemic, and called for the modernisation of government in the spheres of innovation and efficiency.

South Africa is currently under level 4 restrictions with 8 232 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 161 deaths.

On the role of the State during the Covid-19 crisis, Mchunu said government had sought to protect citizens against the infection of Covid-19 while supporting the economy during a time when restrictions on movement were necessary.

“Above all these measures taken, this is the time when we should conscientize public servants that for them, it is now more than ever, necessary to recognise this higher calling of being a public servant, premised on patriotism and the urge go above and beyond for fellow South Africans requiring such public services. This applies to both elected and appointed public servants in the public service and in the public sector at large - it cannot be about the rank you hold but rather about what you can do to help,” he said.

As the country moved through the various alert levels, government needed to plan for the normalisation of the public service, he added.

Government departments are required to set up an internal Covid-19 Steering Committee to implement plans at each level of lockdown and ensure that service delivery continues.

These committees will monitor their departmental strategies, risk assessments, workplace procedures and systems to counter the spread of the virus. They will report to the National Steering Committee.

As public servants return to work, Mchunu has urged all director-generals (DGs) and heads of departments (HODs) to implement hygiene and physical distancing systems to prevent and contain the spread of the virus in the workplace.

Mchunu also acknowledged that not all employees could return to work immediately owing to co-morbidities or underlying illnesses. He urged them to remain home and/or work remotely until the pandemic had passed.

He stressed that should these employees be required in the workplace, DGs and HODs must take measures to ensure employees’ wellbeing.

“Given that during the lockdown period, government operations were required to continue and departments had already identified the critical services that required employees to be physically present at workplaces, while others were adapted for online services or remote working, it is advised that with the increasing demands of the easing of the lockdown, departments may need to identify more employees responsible for such critical services and recall them back to office, if necessary, to supplement capacity,” Mchunu said.

In bringing back some essential services, government is urging that citizens use online services, where possible, to minimise exposure to the virus.

While South Africa has endured challenges such as TB and HIV, Mchunu said, so far, Covid-19 seemed to be more daunting, especially since there were so many unknowns about this virus. 

“The current position we find ourselves in, will test the capability of the State to the maximum.  We are hard at work doing an overall interrogation of the current capabilities of the State in a number of areas to assess, adjust and adapt our operations for the future to deliver optimal services during this pandemic,” he said.

Mchunu also thanked all public servants – working from home or on the frontlines – for supporting South Africans by rendering exceptional services in all areas.

“Their dedication and commitment give us hope that we will turn the corner in the fight against Covid-19 and should serve as a reminder to public servants that “We Belong, We Care and We Serve,” Mchunu concluded.

Edited by Sashnee Moodley
Senior Deputy Editor Polity and Multimedia

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