Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi met municipal labour unions in Pretoria on Monday to discuss the government’s initiative for a single public service, the ministry said.
The initiative seeks to create one public-service administration for all three tiers of government — including local government, under which municipal workers currently operate.
During Monday’s meeting, parties agreed that the National Economic, Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) will be consulted about relevant legislation for the single public-service legislation.
The Department of Provincial and Local Government and the South African Local Government Association also attended Monday’s meeting.
Last month, the National Assembly passed a Bill that makes way for the single public service. At the time, Fraser-Moleketi dismissed allegations by opposition parties that the Bill was a plot to centralise power.
Rather, it was intended to improve the organisational and human resource framework of the public service to enhance the state’s capacity to deliver services more effectively, she said.
The initiative would enable national government to supervise appointments in all national departments and state agencies, all premiers’ offices, provincial departments, all municipalities and municipal agencies as well as all employees of these bodies. — Sapa