Thesis (M.M. (Public and Development Management))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Governance, 2014. / Since the advent of democracy in 1994, government programmes have improved the quality of lives and living standards of the poorest South Africans, the majority of whom were previously disadvantaged by apartheid segregation policies. On face value, racism and prejudice seem to have declined. Thus society seems to be slowly integrating as equals. However, the legacies of apartheid, combined with poor budgetary and financial management skills, a massive backlog in basic services and infrastructure, regional inequalities in the provision thereof, and sometimes tense social relationships, continue to limit opportunities for social and economic development. Additionally, despite progress made, many people remain vulnerable with poverty, unemployment, and health issues remaining a factor that continues to promote dependency on government The ability of government, municipalities in particular, to deliver such services and meet the expectations of the communities remains a contested notion. Capacity, a lack of suitable skills, bureaucracy and outsourcing of government functions to consultants has been widely blamed for what has been viewed as “shabby service delivery” by municipalities. These they believe are as a result of poor leadership skills, lack of vision and an inability to deliver while outsourcing its functions to unqualified, less experienced contractors who do not have the government’s development goals as their aim. The primary purpose of this research therefore is to determine the effects of internal bureaucracy on the provision of services within the City of Johannesburg. The research will further investigate how that impacts negatively on the City’s quest to provide quality services to its residence. These are leadership role, citizen engagement and governance. With reference to the ongoing public protests in various parts of the City, this ii research will in addition explore and attempt to understand how the City intends to address public violence linked to service delivery demands, and the impact that current internal institutional arrangements, leadership challenges and management systems have on realising the vision to achieve a world class African City that is well governed, resilient, sustainable and liveable for all. Recommendations informed by participant’s views and management theories will be also be made.

The main impetus for conducting research of this type was for the researcher to better understand the nature and types of EAP and HIV and Aids programmes that exist in the selected Gauteng Public Service departments. The researcher was motivated to choose this subject as she was employed by the Gauteng Department of Education and is currently employed by the Gauteng Department of Health of which these departments are the largest departments in the province and was able see both the similarities and differences between how the EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace programmes were being conducted. One similarity between the programmes is that both EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace Programmes are concerned with employee well-being with the aim of enhancement of the quality of work life and productivity. Employee assistance programmes commenced in Gauteng as a directive from the office of the Premier in 1999 (Gauteng Department of Education [GDE] Draft EAP Policy, 2003).This directive was the seed that led the development of both EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace Programmes in the Gauteng Province. This was a smart decision of investing its employee’s wellness and was strategically originating from the top structure within the province. In this research an exploratory study was undertaken in order to identify the relationship between EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace Programmes in nine Gauteng government departments. The survey design was used within the quantitative approach and use was made of a structured questionnaire. The study was made up of the responses elicited from 14 employees representing 9 state departments within the Gauteng Provincial Government. These respondents were directly responsible for both or either EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace Programmes. Applied research, considers a situation in practice to answer practical question about the EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace Programmes within GPG, was used. The researcher sent out sixteen questionnaires using a purposive sampling method to select respondents for this study. A discussion of the theoretical overview covered EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace Programmes in South Africa. This was further delineated to EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace programmes in the public sector and to the Gauteng Province. The research findings indicated that that the departments surveyed varied drastically in terms of employee size from 60000 to 292. The majority of the respondents were female and were EAP coordinators and the most frequent undertaken daily task was counselling, although many of the government departments had been making use of an external service provider to render an EAP service. Counselling was a service offered by the external service provider. Other findings were that the majority of the respondent’s had a university degree and many even had post-graduate qualifications. Almost all departments surveyed had policies that were relevant to EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace Programmes in place. The recommended requirements needed to sustain the EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace programmes include the following: • Locating the EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace programmes at top management level within the respective departments. • Combining the HIV and Aids Workplace Programmes and EAP under the banner of Employee Wellness. • Ensuring that these programmes are adequately resourced both in terms of budget and staff. • On-going marketing of the programmes to increase utilization. This research has highlighted the need for an integrated programme under the banner of wellness that can holistically serve the needs of employees. EAP and HIV and Aids Workplace Programmes practised in isolation are not as effective as a integrated customised programme designed to suit the individual requirements of an organization and its employees. / Dissertation (MSD (Employee Assistance Programme))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate recruitment policies and practices in the DPSA to determine challenges with the recruitment of competent and qualified candidates, since it is the custodian of human resources in the public service. Findings of this study revealed that if the DPSA’s well-crafted recruitment and selection policies were to be translated into practice, then the public service would be the employer of choice. This process could be hampered by the decisions taken by shortlisting and selection panels, which are reluctant to appoint candidates who are better qualified than them. The DPSA should create an enabling environment in which communication between management and non-management freely takes place without people being victimised. The findings of the study pointed to the necessity to invoke remedial measures and monitoring mechanisms that would ensure the effective execution of recruitment and selection policies and practices in the public service. / Public Administration / M.A. (Public Administration)

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate recruitment policies and practices in the DPSA to determine challenges with the recruitment of competent and qualified candidates, since it is the custodian of human resources in the public service. Findings of this study revealed that if the DPSA’s well-crafted recruitment and selection policies were to be translated into practice, then the public service would be the employer of choice. This process could be hampered by the decisions taken by shortlisting and selection panels, which are reluctant to appoint candidates who are better qualified than them. The DPSA should create an enabling environment in which communication between management and non-management freely takes place without people being victimised. The findings of the study pointed to the necessity to invoke remedial measures and monitoring mechanisms that would ensure the effective execution of recruitment and selection policies and practices in the public service. / Public Administration and Management / M.A. (Public Administration)

M. Tech. Public Management / This study assesses the transformation and modernization of public service delivery in South Africa with specific reference to the Department of Public Service and Administration as the department responsible for leading the public service transformation and modernization process. It examines the extent to which public policies on public service transformation like the White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service, 1995, (Notice 1227 of 1995) and the White Paper on Transforming Public Service Delivery, 1997, (Notice 1459 of 1997) have influenced service delivery within the public service since their inception.

D. Admin. (Public Administration)

D. Admin. (Public Administration)

The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of nurses on the implementation of occupational specific dispensation (OSD). Qualitative research using hermeneutic phenomenology was conducted in the three selected public hospitals in the Umgungundlovu district in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Data was collected by means of in-depth interviews with professional nurses, enrolled nurses and nursing assistants and focus group discussions with nurse managers purposively selected at the public hospitals in the Umgungundlovu district. Parse’s extraction synthesis analysis of data was done and seven (7) themes emerged from the participants’ dialogical conversation exploring the experiences of the implementation of OSD. The findings suggested that nurses viewed OSD as unfair labour practice because it divided nurses; there are those who grossly benefitted and those who benefitted less. The researcher concluded that the study will assist the authorities in the department of health both nationally and provincially to review OSD for nurses and close the gaps identified during the implementation as they were the pilot group. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of nurses on the implementation of occupational specific dispensation (OSD). Qualitative research using hermeneutic phenomenology was conducted in the three selected public hospitals in the Umgungundlovu district in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Data was collected by means of in-depth interviews with professional nurses, enrolled nurses and nursing assistants and focus group discussions with nurse managers purposively selected at the public hospitals in the Umgungundlovu district. Parse’s extraction synthesis analysis of data was done and seven (7) themes emerged from the participants’ dialogical conversation exploring the experiences of the implementation of OSD. The findings suggested that nurses viewed OSD as unfair labour practice because it divided nurses; there are those who grossly benefitted and those who benefitted less. The researcher concluded that the study will assist the authorities in the department of health both nationally and provincially to review OSD for nurses and close the gaps identified during the implementation as they were the pilot group. / Health Studies / M. A. (Health Studies)

This study is an in-depth overview of the critical issues impacting on skills development in the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA). The South African Public Service consists of individuals with their own potential and career paths. The thesis has convincingly argued that managers in the Public Service need to align the potential of their employees with organisational strategies and policies. The study has shown that the training of employees becomes a necessity when departments want to keep track and meet the expectations of their internal and external environments. The thesis proposes and has proven that an integrated approach to human resource development through the process of performance management is a vital requirement, which is critical for skills acquisition. The study, further, notes that if performance management is implemented appropriately, a viable learning organisation could be created. Linking the system of performance management with the learning organisation offers a unique perspective on integrated human resource management, and thus, an important contribution is made to understanding the theory of Public Administration as it applies to skills development. This thesis propounds the notion that evaluation seems to be the missing link in training and development of human resources in the DPSA. Research clearly indicates that the only way to ensure that training priorities are met is to make training evaluation part of the design of a training course. The model proposed in this thesis, for the evaluation of training, entails adding value to both individual and departmental performance. Detail reviews from this thesis, which are supported by both quantitative and qualitative imperatives, suggest that it now becomes essential that senior management initiates a process where individual positions, their importance and contributions, are aligned with the effective and efficient realisation of departmental strategies. The cumulative effect of this thesis resonates on an analysis of both theory and practice regarding the creation and implementation of a learning organisation, which is a landmark for international best practices in the study of public human resource development and training in South Africa. / Thesis (DPhil (Public Administration))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) / Unrestricted