Speech by DG Lamati at the launch of the Mthatha Labour Centre

Banner of the National Department of Labour together with the South African flag

11 August 2022

Greetings

Mfundisi Ngcambu nabo bonke abathanjiswa benkosi abalapha

Sodolophu obekekileyo Clr Nelani

Somlomo Ms Sokutu

Ooceba bonke abalapho

Abantwana bomthonyama bekhokelwa yiNkosi Dudumayo Mtirara

Organised Labour

Business formations

Community Structures

COO Ms Bronkhorst

CDPO Ms Nomfundo Douw-Jack

All the officials from all Departments and state entities

Most important DDLCO Ms Sandisiwe Zawula

It is an honour and privilege for me to be part of this important and hallmark event where as the department, we are opening a service delivery centre, Ngenene Mfundisi, uThixo uyinkosi. Ndiphantse ndiqiniseke ukuba usiyakudumisa nkosi ibiyintonga yabo bonke abasebenzi bale office. I take my heart off to the staff and management of this office. The unrelenting efforts to have a better working environment is deeply appreciated.

Those who have been following the story of this Labour Centre and the poor working conditions that these officials have been subjected to, would definitely testify to what I am saying. As public service and public servants we are made to swear by the Batho Pele Principles. Batho Pele Principles engender the following:

- we care

- We belong

- We serve

It is extremely difficult to fully live these values when your working conditions are not conducive. Nevertheless, the officials of this office never ever even decided that they will be on a go slow. They continued to believe that their plight is receiving serious attention. Indeed, slow as the process has been, our sister Department of Public Works and the Public Investment Corporation made it sure that today becomes possible. I would like extend my sincere appreciation and gratitude to them….Nangamso nto zakuthi.

As government and more specifically the Department of Employment and Labour, we face a daunting paradox. On the one hand, we operate in an increasingly complex environment and must deliver on an expanded set of policy objectives. In a world characterized by macroeconomic uncertainty, rapid social change, and technological innovation, citizens’ expectations of what government ought to deliver are rising. Meanwhile, public trust in government is eroding (every day we see service delivery protest that often turn violent and destructive). Against this backdrop, not only must governments do more with less; we must do so in highly visible ways, if we are to regain the faith of the public.

The good news is that this Department and most certainly this office can deliver the performance the citizens of Mthatha and the surrounding areas need and expect. The performance of this office over the years bears testimony to this. I am not saying there are no service delivery issues.

There are. As you all know that we operate within tight budgetary constraints. We cannot be everywhere. That is why we rely on our social partners to be our eyes and ears. This means that citizens have a huge role to play in enabling government to deliver better services.

As the Department we are trying our best to make it easier for citizens to access our services. We are using innovative channels to make services more citizen-centric. Over the last few years we have implemented the internet of things where clients can transact with our department in the comfort of their homes thereby reducing the need for citizens to visit our offices. We have not fully gotten this right but we are trying our best to respond to the customer demand for better services.

Being citizen-centric isn’t just about the Internet: Our Department, for instance, has pioneered mobile offices—satellite-equipped buses—that serve as a one-stop-shop for our services for people living in remote areas. As I indicated earlier on we will continue to innovate in order to serve our people better.

Provision of infrastructure is key to service delivery. We are today officially opening this office. It is spanking clean. I hope that it be as clean as this forever. Maintenance of infrastructure is key in preserving/elongating the life of any facility. This is something that we are not good at as

government. I am therefore making this appeal to both my colleagues from Public Works and PIC (Mowana Properties) to ensure that this building is properly maintained. I would like to also make this appeal to the leaders that are present here to ensure that this building with its office contents is protected from vandalism. This is a public building now and that makes it yours to protect as you would your house.

Program Director, I am told that this building was renovated by Hent Kay Projects which a company owned by a young African man. Also I have been informed that a total of 60 young people got employment opportunities in that some of them did plumbing, dry walling, and electrical installation and cubing. We are great full that young people through this projects, were able to engage in some form of economic activity… bakwazile ukugxoth’ikati eziko!

As I make my way to my sit Program Director, I would like to say to our officials and officials from other Departments here present, “Conscientious public servants are at the heart of achieving social justice” Excellent service delivery should always be at the core of what we do. At all material times, we should be driven by the desire to serve and live up to the commitments that our clients expect in line with our Service Delivery Charter. Our clients should walk away with a smile and not curses under the breath.

As public servants, we are and should commit to servanthood irrespective of the person we give service to. Age, race and gender should play no part in how we service clients – except where it enhances the experience rendered. Public servants are what makes a country and a nation who they are.

This means that each one of us has a role to play in helping to build a successful South African state. It means that the person who needs funds from the Unemployment Insurance for being on maternity is paid without any hassle; that the person who is injured on duty and needs to be compensated has the claim processed speedily and paid without any hassle.

Providing social protection has a profound impact both economically and socially. At times, our non-responsiveness could result in people going to bed hungry. In our country with high rate of unemployment and poverty, lack of urgency in responding to clients’ needs could have a damaging impact to our reputation as a brand.

Most importantly, we could be pitting ourselves against communities we are supposed to be serving. So when we receive complaints, we should address them quickly. Let this office be known as a service delivery house, a refuge for all those who want to know what government offers not just what we offer as the Department of Employment and Labour.