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The Minister for the Public Service and Administration Ms Faith Muthambi has today met with the Accounting Officers and Senior Managers of the National School of Government (NSG), the Centre for Public Service Innovation (CPSI) and the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) for a handover briefing.  The Acting Principal of the National School of Government Mr Botshabelo Maja, CPSI Executive Director Ms Thuli Radebe and GEMS Principal Officer Dr Gunvant “Guni” Goolab  led their Executive Committees at the meetings which were held at Batho Pele House, Tshwane.

"It is imperative that as Minister for the Public Service and Administration intervene and assist these entities in addressing the challenges which remain a stumbling block to deliver efficient public services as well as implementing the correct training programmes for public servants across the public service at large," said the Minister.

The National School of Government (NSG) is mandated to provide or facilitate the provision of training to public servants. “As a national training provider, the National School of Government must act as such and intensify training and provision of required skills to the public service to deliver on the National Development Plan goals."

The Minister added that the National School of Government remains critical in achieving an effective public service. "The NDP acknowledges that although government has massively expanded access to basic services, backlogs remain and the quality of services is uneven. The challenge is therefore to improve the quality of services which requires the improvement in the performance of the public service."

The CPSI is a cross-cutting facility of government aimed at entrenching and driving the culture and practice of innovation in the public sector to address service delivery challenges.

"Innovation in the public service is paramount and thus the CPSI needs to reassert its place and ensure that its work benefit public service institutions such as hospitals, clinics, schools and other frontline service points," said the Minister.

The CPSI was established as a Government Component in April 2008 in line with the Public Service Amendment Act 30 of 2007.  The CPSI functions as an autonomous entity with its own Accounting Officer reporting directly to the Minister. Up to 31 March 2015 the CPSI shared essential service such as human resources management, supply chain management, legal services, internal audit and financial management services with the DPSA.

The Minister commended the Government Employees Medical Schemes for carrying out its mandate efficiently.  “Through GEMS, many public servants and their dependants, who could not afford to have medical aid, are now able to access this service.  A healthy public service bodes well for efficient service delivery,” said the Minister.

Government is empowered through GEMS to provide more employees with an opportunity to improve their health and wellbeing - in turn impacting positively on improved productivity levels in the public service.

Issued by GCIS on behalf of the Department of Public Service and Administration