The system has been in operation for three years and is going through an evolutionary process. It is not foolproof yet but promises to be a pathfinder in the local government sector. The fact that the system has been extended to cover the first four levels of the organisation is commendable. This edition of "from THE CITY MANAGER" is an abridged version of a report presented to Council on the application of the system and the determination of senior management performance rewards for the previous financial year.
In terms of the amendment to the City's Performance Management Policy, the Mayoral Committee, on 22 May 2003, established a Performance Management and Remuneration Panel to oversee the performance management of the City Manager, assessing his direct reports, as well as determining the salary scales for the City of Johannesburg's senior managers. The executive mayor chairs the panel. The Mayoral Committee also approved the inclusion of Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) on the panel. External members of the panel include:
- Dr Ralph Mgijima (Member of the Public Service Commission)
- Ms Seadimo Chaba (Until recently with the provincial Public Works department and recipient of the Boss of the Year award)
- Mr Zwelibanzi Mntambo (Former Director General of Gauteng and now with the CCMA)
- Mr Vusi Khanyile (CEO of Thebe Investments)
- Prof Patrick Fitzgerald (Director of the School of Public Administration in the University of the Witwatersrand)
The Performance Management and Remuneration Panel recommended that for the purposes of ensuring performance results are based on verified information and not estimates, the formal reviews for the financial year 2003/2004 be conducted in September 2004.
Of the 12 directorates that fall under the City Manager, eight were reviewed for the 2003/2004 financial year.
Four senior managers were not reviewed because they were new appointments:
- Executive Director Housing
- Executive Director EMS
- Director Social Development
- Director Arts, Culture and Heritage
The panel has (during September 2004) formally reviewed the performance of the following senior managers:
3.1 Reuben Denge: Executive Director, Corporate Services
The panel formally reviewed the performance of the Executive Director, Corporate Services on 13 September 2004. The ED: CS has managed to maintain a sound corporate service arm within the context of the changes that have taken place within the City of Johannesburg over the past few years. Throughout the process of transformation within the City, which saw the migration of a large number of people to the Unicity administration, and the creation of new municipal entities within the City of Johannesburg, service provision has continued.
The Corporate Services has played and continues to play a critical role in supporting the City in achieving its aims through its people, systems, processes and the creation of a performance-driven culture within the City.
To support the driving of performance improvement across the City's service areas, the Corporate Services Department has committed itself to a reduction in turnaround times for all functions within the department - thereby enhancing the ability of service delivery areas and the strive towards service excellence.
In addition, the Corporate Services Department has improved operational efficiencies through the implementation of a number of automated systems and processes - thereby reducing the potential for error, and improving service provision. The last financial year has seen the successful automation of five GIS systems and three Valuations systems as well as Occupational Health and Safety systems. In addition, the automation of internal data systems through the rollout of the SAP HR system has been successfully completed. This has implications for reducing the time the City spends on internal operations, thereby enhancing the focus on the City's core business: serving the external customer.
From a legislative perspective, the City of Johannesburg has also driven the Workplace Skills Plan process through timeous submission of the Workplace Skills Plan and Implementation Report to the Local Government and Water SETA. The department has played a role in driving the creation of infrastructure to support the implementation of learnerships and to ensure monitoring thereof - thereby contributing to the creation of skills within the broader City context.
The department has also played a role in ensuring compliance with the Employment Equity Act. This has included the submission of an Employment Equity progress report to the Department of Labour, detailing undertakings to comply with the said Act. The City was not able to achieve all of its employment equity targets in 2003/2004. However, improvement was evident and we hope to see these targets being met in 2004/2005.
Council recently established a Municipal Court to deal with all cases of by-law infringements in its area of jurisdiction. The training of the officials of the Municipal Court has been done and the court will soon be fully functioning to enhance prosecution of contravention of municipal by-laws.
3.2 Amanda Nair: Executive Director, Development Planning, Transportation and Environment
The panel formally reviewed the performance of the Executive Director, Development Planning, Transportation and Environment (ED: DPT&E) on 13 September 2004. After due consideration, the panel was satisfied that the ED: DPT&E has successfully embarked on a number of initiatives over the past year to increase investment through attracting new businesses and improving infrastructure development. This achievement is evidenced by a 60% satisfaction rating in the 2003/2004 annual customer survey compared to a 40% during the previous financial year. An initiative to deal effectively with complaints pertaining to illegal land occupation has resulted in the reduction of response times from 30 to less than 21 days, marking another positive step in the direction of improved service delivery to citizens.
At the heart of the department's performance area is the need to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of town planning and building plan application processing and enforcement. Over the past year, a number of programmes were launched to improve the turnaround times from the date of application to the date of administrative decision for rezoning, consent, approval of building plans and townships. Using baselines from the previous year, the Department of Development, Transportation and Environment set targets in each of these areas. The following table indicates the degree of success the department has had over the past year in reaching these targets:
The City's Spatial Development Framework integrated and aligned a number of strategies and policies to respond to the rapid growth in traffic volumes and increasing number of people and businesses requiring space to operate and/or live in the City and provision of infrastructure and maintenance. These strategies and policies included: the Integrated Infrastructure Plan (outlining the current status quo of infrastructure in the City, including areas where no infrastructure exists or outdated infrastructure exists); the Environment Management Framework (providing an overview of the status of water, air pollution and waste management in the City); the Integrated Transport plan (plan to improve transportation in the City); and the Housing Strategy.
A Capital Investment Management System (CIMS), which serves as a database to inform future planning and management of infrastructure development, has been developed. One of the purposes of the Capital Investment Framework is to provide valuable information that could help to encourage private sector investment decisions thereby stimulating economic regeneration of the City.
This system will be used in the new financial year (2004/2005) as part of the tools to assist in monitoring the number of jobs created through the implementation of capital projects through the City within the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) policy and implementation strategy.
The Transportation Planning and Management Unit of the Department of Development, Transportation and Environment conducted an audit over the past year to assess the state of the 444 taxi ranks within the City, and subsequently outlined recommendations for meeting future public transport needs. The results of the audit have placed the City in a position to devise plans, programmes and structures for the improvement of public transport facilities to better meet the needs of citizens in the future. In addition, planning has also taken place for an Inner City Distribution System (ICDS), as well as the Kliptown to Parktown section of the Strategic Public Transport Network (SPTN).
3.3 Chris Ngcobo: Chief of Police
Public safety, crime prevention and traffic management is one of the mayoral priorities and key drivers of economic growth identified in the Joburg 2030 strategy. The performance of the Chief of Police must be viewed within this background. The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has embarked on a number of initiatives over the past year, which contributed significantly to addressing crime, the improvement of crime prevention and effective traffic management within the city.
Over the past financial year, the JMPD was involved in the development of an inter agency City Safety Strategy geared at an all-encompassing approach for dealing with crime and grime in the City of Johannesburg. The strategy has identified numerous projects that will be implemented by JMPD in partnership with other agencies during the 2004/2005 financial year.
As part of the JMPD's strategic commitment to crime prevention, the JMPD increased the number of vehicles stopped at roadside checkpoints and patrols to an average of 6000 per 6-week cycle. In a similar vein, the JMPD concentrated its efforts on decreasing the number of hijacking incidences in the Johannesburg and Soweto areas. Its efforts yielded results, with hijacking incidences decreasing over the 2003/2004 financial year.
Improvement of services rendered to citizens was enhanced through the establishment of five new licensing and processing directorates within the City and the implementation of a Queuematic system geared at managing the traditionally long queues for service requests at licensing and processing service centres.
JMPD dedicated significant effort to controlling and acting on by-law infringements with respect to urban control, nuisance buildings, illegal dumping and the displaying of illegal posters. This forms part of the City's broader zero tolerance campaign with respect to by-law infringement, with 1839 notices issued in the 2003/2004 financial year. In addition to an increased number of notices being issued, the number of citations for the same by-law infringements increased.
In an effort to utilise real time information to aid in the analysis of incident patterns, and to inform the execution of operations undertaken by Metro Police, the JMPD implemented a fully operational Integrated Information Management System (I2MS). The use of the system in the future will strengthen the JMPD's ability to both prevent and respond to incidences of crime.
The 12MS project was a finalist in the Centre for Public Service Innovation (CPSI) awards and one of the senior managers in the department, Derrick Masoek, was the first runner-up in the innovator of the year category.
In addition to ensuring the effective use of real time information, the JMPD embarked on a process of establishing a joint command centre aimed at ensuring effective synergy between operations undertaken by JMPD and the South African Police Services. The 2004/05 financial year should see the Joint Command Centre become staffed and fully operational, signalling the City's commitment to partner and work with other stakeholders in the fight against crime.
3.4 Nolene Morris: Director, Shareholder Unit
The core mandate of the Shareholder Unit (SHU) is the optimisation of the City of Johannesburg's shareholder value, in the interest of the community that the City of Johannesburg serves. The SHU further supports the municipal authority role of the City of Johannesburg insofar as the City of Johannesburg has the responsibility to formulate and monitor compliance with local and national policy and international best practices in respect of corporate governance and financial matters. In the latter regard, the SHU plays a regulatory role in relation to the City of Johannesburg's shareholder interests.
The core business of the SHU is:
- Corporate governance;
- Financial evaluation;
- Business strategy; and
- Legislative compliance.
During the past financial year, a framework to assess shareholder value and returns in respect of corporate establishment projects has been completed and approved by the Shareholder Sub-Committee. The Shareholder Sub-Committee has considered quarterly reports in respect of assessment of the financial performance and positions of each the companies.
The Corporate Governance Protocol must continuously evolve as new legislation is effected and accountability frameworks are clarified. Over the past year, the SHU continued to develop its role of ensuring compliance to applicable legislation and promoting good governance practices within the City's entities.
A recent accomplishment in the area of good governance includes the completion and alignment of the Corporate Governance Protocol to the Municipal Systems Amendment Act and the Municipal Finance Management Act. The objective of the protocol is to guide the boards of the Utilities Agencies and Corporatised Entities (UACs) and their executive management and the City and its senior management in ensuring the implementation of good governance standards.
During the past financial year, the SHU undertook a due diligence and legislative compliance assessment of governance requirements. This due diligence and legislative compliance assessment required by legislation assessed the corporate governance practices of the boards of the UACs.
All the UACs participated in completing the assessment. The assessment dealt with questions regarding compliance with the provision of the King Code on Corporate Governance, the Companies Act, Environmental legislation, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Labour legislation, and so on.
The Shareholder Sub-Committee and the Mayoral Committee approved the Integrated Risk Management Framework to ensure that the management of each company has an operational responsibility for the management of risk whilst the role of the board is to ensure that the risk management processes are adequate and effective.
3.5 Prem Govender: Director, Contract Management Unit
The Contract Management Unit (CMU) is responsible for regulating and monitoring the relationship between the Council and the various independent entities, and holds an ongoing mandate for overseeing the contractual obligations of the Utilities, Agencies and Corporatised Entities (UACs) towards the City. The unit's role is critical in ensuring that the nature of contracts developed is aligned with the 2030 vision of world-class service delivery within the City.
The product and service offerings provided by the CMU are key to creating a 'World-class African City'. The CMU serves a critical role in ensuring that the most effective and efficient services are contracted, negotiated and managed in the interest of the citizens and the municipality. Performance of the City's entities is assesses by the Unit through the use of measurable Key Performance Indicators, Service Delivery Agreements (SDAs) and contracts, to support the realisation of the City's Integrated Development Plan (IDP).
The past financial year has seen a number of improvements being implemented through the CMU - across a range of areas. A monitoring and evaluation framework for service delivery and regulatory compliance has been developed. The quality of SDAs and contracts between the City, its departments and UACs incorporated explicit performance expectations.
The CMU has managed to ensure that the City's UACs are not only the vehicle for improved service delivery efficiencies, but also increased and focused procurement opportunities. This has been achieved through the completion of a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Strategy that has standardised the definition of BEE, and provided a framework to set targets. By the end of June 2004, managing directors of companies had signed the BEE Strategy.
In addition to the completion and signing of the BEE Strategy, the CMU completed an Integrated Procurement Management Framework (IPMF). The purpose of the framework was to consolidate the procurement standards amongst UACs, while ensuring alignment with prevailing legislation.
An environmental regulatory compliance audit of utilities and agencies was completed. The purpose of this audit was to determine compliance to environmental legislation and the City Environmental Policy. This audit was a manifestation of the Council's commitment to principles developed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
As a means of ensuring fulfilment by the UACs of their mandate to deliver services in an efficient and effective manner, the CMU undertook a review of the UACs' Key Performance Areas (KPAs), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and targets. Through this exercise, the CMU was able to ensure that the performance measures set by the entities equalled the City's investment, and reflected true performance expectations.
3.6 Refik Bismilla: Health
The Health Department has two main focus areas, namely environmental health and personal health.
The core function of Environmental Health Services is embodied in the principle of "prevention is better than cure" whereby the interaction between human beings and their working, living and leisure environments are closely monitored and controlled with the main objective of improving quality of life by preventing conditions that may be detrimental to the health and well-being of the individual members of the public, as well as the general public at large.
Environmental Health Services within the City of Johannesburg are proactively engaged in eliminating physical or biological conditions that may lead to disease and ill health, thus lessening the workload and costs on the curative services the health sector renders. Environmental Health Services also contributes directly and indirectly to socio- economic upliftment in that it is obligated to improve the quality of life of people.
The public sector health services in the City of Johannesburg are divided into primary health care services and hospital services. All the primary health care services in the City of Johannesburg are provided by the Gauteng Department of Health, in conjunction with the City of Johannesburg. General practitioners in the private sector and non-governmental organisations also make a significant contribution to personal health. The hospital services are delivered by the Gauteng Department of Health only.
The City of Johannesburg's Health Department has 112 health service delivery points. These include points covered by mobile vans. In the last financial year the health services attended to a total of 2 366 494 patients. This depicts a 5,4% increase from the last financial year. A number of interventions by both environmental health and personal health services during the past fiscal year (2003/2004) has resulted in numerous achievements as narrated below:
- Three hostel clean-up campaigns took place during the 2003/2004 financial year under the auspice of the Central Environmental Health Unit. The first clean-up was conducted on 18 and 19 December 2003 at the Diepkloof hostel. Various stakeholders such as Pikitup, Provincial Health Promotion Unit, Residents Committee, Housing Department, Wits School of Public Health and the Regional Environmental Heath Unit were involved. Condocans and condoms were also distributed to the community. In addition to the clean-up, health education on hygiene practices and pest control activities were conducted. Two similar campaigns were undertaken at the City Deep hostel on 24 May 2004 and at the Denver hostel on 2 June 2004.
- The procedures and interventions implemented by the Environmental Health Services during the 2003/2004 performance year ensured that safe food, water and physical environment were provided to visitors and inhabitants of Johannesburg at all special events.
- HIV/Aids is a priority for the City. There is regular interaction with numerous partners in government and in the private sector to mount an integrated strategy to combat HIV/Aids. The Council has also established the Johannesburg Aids Council to support and coordinate the City's response to this pandemic.
- Prior to 1994, local government only provided preventive and promotive health services. As part of the transformation of health services, and in an attempt to improve access to care and overcome fragmentation in health service delivery, the basket of services offered at local government clinics was expanded. 87% of the fixed facilities in the city now offer curative services as well, thus increasing access to health care. This percentage depicts a 32,3% increase for this financial year.
- In general, some progress has been made towards improving the quality of primary health care services. The physical infrastructure in terms of the building and upgrading of facilities has received significant resources. A total of four new clinics were opened: two Regions 1 and 2; one in Region 10; and one in Region 11.
- From previously offering mainly preventative services only, more than 75% of City of Johannesburg facilities now offer a range of comprehensive primary health services that include curative care as well. Over the past year the Department undertook an assessment of primary health care facilities. It also developed guidelines on community participation in health based on the Municipal Systems Act, 32 of 2000.
- The department has placed a high value on health communication. To this end a Health Promotion Forum was established in the City of Johannesburg and every region conducted quarterly health promotion campaigns on key health priority aspects such as HIV and Aids, lifestyle diseases, tuberculosis (TB), environmental health, as well as cancer awareness.
- Pharmaceutical supply forms the backbone of any health service delivery. This includes the management of drug supply, procurement, distribution, utilisation and monitoring, and staff development.
- Groundbreaking agreements have been signed between the City's Independent Practitioner Associations (IPAs) to increase the health service coverage. These agreements, amongst others, include the provision of health education as well as offering training, which will allow for the transference of skills and competencies.
- A system was put in place to monitor and track the resolution of all complaints received. Of all the complaints received 96% were resolved.
- In September 2003 a joint provincial health assessment was conducted at both the provincial and local government clinics in the city. The assessment was done in accordance with the District Health System Development (DHS) Indicators. The City of Johannesburg/Metro region won the first prize for the quality of care in the province.
- Community participation in health is a critical component in primary health care service delivery. The department hosted a workshop for all the ward councillors and health sector representatives in the City. By the end of the 2003/2004 fiscal year 84,5% of the wards in the regions have community participation structures in place for health. This depicts a 39.5% increase from the previous fiscal year.
- Health promotion forms the corner stone of primary health care. The central tenet of health promotion is empowering people and ultimately the improvement in the quality of their lives. The regions were involved in four citywide campaigns and also focused on the National Health Calendar events. During the year 273 937 people were reached, 101 145 houses visited, 116 703 pamphlets were issued, 20 183 PAP smears done and 2 925 volunteers were used. This entailed door-to-door campaigns, mobile billboards, drama presentations, group discussions, one-on-one meetings, radio talk shows, workshops/seminars, posters and pamphlets, and baby competitions.
- The programmes covered: HIV and Aids; immunisation and measles; breast feeding; ante natal care; cervical and breast cancer awareness; mental health; child accident prevention; polio awareness; sexually transmitted infections (STIs); TB; hospice week; child protection week; World No Tobacco Day; formal food handlers; cholera; waste recycling; World Environmental Day; and World Health Day. The target audiences included: mothers, youth in and out of school, support groups, food handlers, nursery and primary schools, informal settlements, taxi ranks, taverns, school children and the general public.
- Through an integrated Aids plan the City attempts to provide comprehensive HIV and Aids services to the community. Health needs of people already infected are catered for through the provision of basic health services. The health services provide the following services:
- HIV and AIDS education;
- Treatment for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), HIV and Aids opportunistic infections like TB and pneumonia;
- Voluntary HIV Counselling and Testing;
- Provision of free male condoms and female condoms in selected sites;
- Support groups for people living with HIV and AIDS; and
- Referrals to Home Based Care, Hospice and Hospital services.
- Local partnerships have been established in all regions to bring about social groups whose members have a particularly important role to play in HIV prevention and care activities. Religious groups, traditional healers, community leaders and NGOs play a very important role and actively supported the City to implement this programme.
3.7 Yakoob Makda: Region 8, Inner City
Johannesburg's Central Region, also referred to as the Inner City, is home to a significant business population. In addition, it is the central hub of Johannesburg's transportation network, hosts a number of world-class theatres, and is the seat of the University of the Witwatersrand.
On an average day it is estimated that one million people may be found in the city, with over 800 000 of these commuting to the city. The Inner City's transient population is not its only feature; it is also a major economic hub. Research conducted by the city suggests that not only does the Inner City contribute significantly to the Gross Domestic Product and the Regional Domestic Product, but the Inner City also provides an estimated 12% of national employment. Current investment in the city is pitched at R30-billion, with capital investment in housing estimated at R1,2-billion.
In the light of such statistics, the importance of the Inner City cannot be underestimated. However, like the central business districts of many other cities, Johannesburg's Inner City has suffered huge degeneration, with private and retail businesses having relocated to suburban malls and other areas in the wake of higher crime, unmanaged informal trading, difficulties in by-law enforcement, buildings in poor conditions and unmanaged taxis. The Inner City is therefore also an area of varying quality, ranging from severely degraded residential areas to fairly upmarket commercial areas.
The past financial year saw the approval of the Inner City Turnaround business plan by the Mayoral Committee. This business plan marked a positive step in the realisation of the Inner City Turnaround project, through the detailing of practical and tangible projects. Dedicated and competent personnel were employed to 'give life' to the business plan.
Improving customer service is at the heart of the regenerative drive of the Inner City as is evidenced by the Inner City's ability to resolve 98.3% of all calls logged through Joburg Connect, during the past financial. This achievement was also marked by a 13% awareness increase of the Regions' people centres. Such an increase bodes well for ensuring that those citizens who work or reside in the area have a greater awareness of the City's points of access, and therefore are able to seize the opportunity to utilise the services it offers.
Over the past financial year, the Inner City has embarked on a campaign to identify and prosecute those citizens who contravened building by-laws, particularly in the areas of Hillbrow, Berea, Bree Street, Plein Street, and Wolmarans Street. This campaign was aimed at addressing 'sinkholes' within the City as espoused by the fourth and fifth pillars of the Inner City strategy.
A total of 1608 buildings were surveyed for compliance with by-laws. Furthermore, through the targeted multi-disciplinary task force, 42 clean-up operations were effected over the past year to address dilapidated buildings and buildings posing a health risk.
Through the concerted and coordinated efforts of the Inner City Task Force in ensuring the effective and efficient submission of evidence, a substantial number of judgments in favour of the City have been passed.
A Better Buildings Programme (BBP) was initiated. The objective of the programme is to facilitate the regeneration of the Inner City and improve the quality of life for its residents and visitors. It is geared towards attracting investment into the city. The programme focuses on transforming 'bad buildings ' to a state where these buildings are renovated, well maintained, professionally managed and properly tenanted, with responsible ownership that has a long-term commitment to maintaining acceptable standards. At present the programme deals exclusively with Inner City problem buildings but will expand into surrounding areas in the future. Currently 52 buildings are on the programme, several of which have already been awarded for development. The BBP team are investigating a further 90 buildings for inclusion on the programme.
The 'Joubert Park Clean-up Project' was successfully launched over the past financial year to address one of the worst 'sinkholes' in the Inner City. Joubert Park, housing the Johannesburg Art Gallery, is the Inner City's main park and 'green space' within the Johannesburg CBD, but has become dilapidated and destroyed over the years through uncontrolled informal trading and unmanaged taxis. A multidisciplinary task team from across the City of Johannesburg and its companies (including, amongst others, the JMPD, City Parks, Planning and Metro Trading Company) was developed to address these challenges and to transform the park. With the project in its final stages, its success is not only a feather in the cap of the Inner City regeneration strategy, but has also provided a clean and safe environment for citizens who both reside and work in the city to enjoy.
The installation of 200 state-of-the-art surveillance cameras for the streets of the Inner City has seen a drastic decrease in crime levels. Property owners have joined forces and established City Improvement Districts (CIDs) - this is a programme where several business owners in a particular vicinity take charge of security and cleaning. Over 67 blocks of the Inner City have been incorporated into CIDs.
In 2003, the Nelson Mandela Bridge was opened and it serves as a symbolic connection between diverse people and places. The Old Fort Prison - the only prison to have incarcerated Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Chief Albert Luthuli is now the site of the Constitutional Court. This was also part of the regenerative plans to enhance the tourism facet of the Inner City.
3.8 Roland Hunter: Executive Director, Finance and Economic Development
The Finance and Economic Development department has a critical role to ensure effective financial management and control in the City. It is responsible for the following core services within the Finance Division:
- Budget;
- Revenue;
- Expenditure;
- Treasury;
- Economic development; and
- Tourism and marketing.
It is mandated to promote economic development within a context of ensuring fiscal discipline. This mandate must be exercise within an array of legislative requirements such as the Municipal Finance and Management Act (Act No. 56 of 2003).
Implementation of the Revenue Improvement Projects over the past financial year aimed at improving cash collection within the City. This resulted in the following key achievements for the City:
- File automation of payments to the City has resulted in the collection of approximately R 9,85-billion. This is an increase of almost R1-billion since the previous year.
- Implementation of new cheque identification methods has resulted in the Council being able to identify R1-million worth of "Return to Drawer" cheques per month.
- Implementation of the new ABSA cash protector system has resulted in the installation of new safes (with consequent improved security) at City of Johannesburg pay points.
The City of Johannesburg was very proud to be able to issue two municipal bonds this year. The issuing of these bonds effectively saved the City about R13-million in debt repayments, which can be channelled into accelerating service delivery and development within the City. The first bond (issued in March 2004) was 230 basis points above the government yield curve on a R153 benchmark, whilst the second bond (issued in June 2004) was 164 basis points above the government yield curve on a R157 benchmark.
In an effort to ensure that the Finance Department exercised strict measures to control expenditure and increase revenue collection, a number of initiatives were embarked on over the past year. A rigorous approach was followed to monitor and control expenditure and increase cash collection. Much time and effort was spent to ensure the satisfactory implementation of financial controls of the City, with a continued commitment to the implementation of credit control actions to address non-payment and improve cash collection.
A key focus of the City of Johannesburg is the development of the city's tourism potential. Increased tourism will have a number of positive spin-offs for the City, including job creation and economic development. In response to this priority, a Soweto Tourism strategy was developed with the aim to grow the tourism potential of the region. This endeavour was further supported through the attainment of approximately R5-million in extra funding that was allocated to projects to further boost Soweto's tourism potential.
In line with the City's commitment to economic development and upliftment of SMMEs and Previously Disadvantaged Individuals, the Finance Department has made positive strides over the last year, with an estimate of 75% of contracts or tenders over R500 000 being awarded to SMMEs/PDIs.
3.9 Pascal Moloi: City Manager
The City Manager, as Head of Administration, plays a key role in ensuring that the City is managed efficiently and effectively so that it achieves the objectives and targets as set out in the IDP. The Municipal Systems Act 2000 clearly sets out the responsibilities of a municipal manager which include:
- The management of the administration in accordance with the relevant legislation;
- The implementation of the integrated development plan and the monitoring of progress against the plan;
- Ensuring the provision of services to the community in a sustainable and equitable manner;
- The overall management of human resources within the municipality including recruitment, training, employment equity, discipline and labour relations;
- Providing effective advice to and managing effective communication with the political structures and political office bearers;
- Carrying out the decisions made by the political structures and political office bearers;
- Ensuring the administration and implementation of the municipality's by-laws and other legislation;
- Facilitating the participation of the local community in the affairs of the municipality;
- Developing and maintaining a system whereby community satisfaction with municipal services are assessed; and
- Operating as the Accounting Officer for the municipality by being responsible for all income and expenditure, all assets and the discharge of all liabilities of the municipality, and ensuring proper and diligent compliance with applicable municipal finance management legislation.
Johannesburg faces an enormous unaccounted-for water loss, which when measured in 2001 stood at 43%, compared to the international benchmarking norm of about 14%. Losses may be attributed to commercial losses, broken water meters, leakages, non-payment, non-billing and non-commercial activities such as water used for fire-fighting purposes. Major strides in meeting this challenge have occurred over the past financial year with the reduction of the existing backlog of unaccounted for water to 36%.
The electricity infrastructure in the City of Johannesburg remains outdated and presents a challenge to the City with respect to providing uninterrupted electricity to its citizens. In an attempt to address this challenge, the past year has seen the establishment of a SWAT planning team to find permanent and long term solutions to unscheduled electricity interruptions.
In addition, the City has also made large strides over the past year in supplying electricity to its citizens and has achieved its set target of 100% of households in formal areas with access to basic electricity. However the challenge of outages, which in fact increased over the year, remains. Apart from the old infrastructure, there has been a boom of developments in areas such as Hyde Park and Roodepoort that has been responsible for many of these outages. Development rights that were issued in 1994/1995 are now being exercised and the current capacity and infrastructure is not equipped to deal with this property boom. The City responded to this by reallocating more capital investment during the year, and we are likely to see great improvements in the coming two financial years (2004/2005 and 2005/2006).
Solid waste removal remains a priority for the City of Johannesburg because of its significant impact on Johannesburg's land, water and health, not to mention the aesthetic appeal of the city. In the light of this, the past year has seen the City of Johannesburg provide access to solid waste removal services to 95% of its citizen's households. In addition, the City continues to focus its attention on the issue of sanitation. A number of citizens remain without access to basic sanitation services and the City has made huge strides over the last year with respect to providing basic sanitation services to these citizens, with 89.5% of households now having access to basic sanitation services.
Water services in the City of Johannesburg are generally good and the past year has also seen the City increase its water provision. Now 97.2% of the households within the City have access to basic water services.
A key decision was taken by the City to raise the profile and importance of dealing with by-law and traffic infringements to improve safety for all the citizens of the City of Johannesburg. In the light of this decision, the past year has seen the City launch the Municipal Court (on 27 August 2004), with the first hearings commencing on 4 October 2004. The establishment of this court marks the beginning of an era for the City where by-law and traffic offences will be dealt with in a more serious light, thus contributing to the safety of all citizens but also a more concentrated efficiency in dealing with such matters.
When the City of Johannesburg, as it is now constituted, was formed in 2000, the vision for this new municipality was the creation of a World Class African City. Much effort and time was spent crafting a road map for the achievement of this vision through the development of the Joburg 2030 vision and the bedrock of this vision was sound economic development for the City. As part of this road map a number of projects were identified and are outlined under the financial performance section of this report.
The City's focus on economic development has not stopped at the implementation of 2030 projects. It is also aimed at economic regeneration and has extended to focus on ways of accelerating growth within the City. In an effort to continue to promote the economic upliftment and ensure that all citizens share in the growth of the City, the past year has seen the City place continued emphasis on the awarding of tenders to SMMEs or to Previously Disadvantaged Individuals (PDIs).
Progress made in regard to the above projects and initiatives over the past year has been a source of pride for the City. The continued hard work and efforts of all those individuals involved in the implementation of these projects and initiatives signals the commitment and resolve of the City and its partners to building a World Class African City.
The City of Johannesburg has seized upon the government's concept of Batho Pele (people first) and is actively involved in ensuring that the services it delivers to its citizens are of a high quality and standard. In support of creating local government that is focused on customer service the City has spent the past year measuring, monitoring and actively implementing initiatives to improve its ability to resolve customer queries quickly and efficiently. The following table provides an overview of the improvements made in this regard over this financial year.
Council approved a Capital budget for 2003/2004 for a total amount of R1,115, 965-billion. The City was able to spend just under 90% of this.
As at the end of the financial year, the City has eliminated its backlog of disciplinary cases. The City has enjoyed a year of sound labour relations between the employer and employees. No industrial action has taken place.
On the Human Resources side, a major priority of the City Manager has been an accelerated drive to implement a workplace HIV/Aids policy within the City. Council has passed a policy, and all departments are engaged in the rollout of an implementation plan that focuses on awareness and prevention, voluntary testing and counselling, and treatment where appropriate.
4. General Comments made by the Mayoral Committee
The Mayoral Committee acknowledged the general improvement in the application of the performance management system. The Mayoral Committee, in discussing the formal reviews for 2003/2004, made the following observations and recommendations:
1) Threshold
A number of scorecards contained key performance indicators that were relatively easy to meet. The gap between the scorecards and what departments and individuals are expected to achieve needs to be narrowed. There is a need to develop scorecards in such a way to avoid managers placing emphasis on meeting the requirements of their agreement to achieve financial gain at the expense of service delivery.
2) All or nothing
The scorecards include provision for a 30% weighting for a key performance area that covers basic deliverables. The rationale is that at least 30% of the total scorecard should ensure that Council decisions and policies are implemented. If these are not achieved, then there should be no basis for any manager to be paid additional bonuses and to enjoy salary increases.
3) Coaching
The quarterly coaching sessions should be extended to include the MMCs. The Mayoral Committee noted a vast improvement due to the involvement of MMCs in the formal reviews of the City Manager's direct report. This value could be deepened if the MMCs were to be involved in quarterly sessions throughout the year
4) City Manager's review
The Mayoral Committee noted that the City Manager's review appeared to have been much more rigorous than the reports of the directorates. This has led to a result that may unduly suggest relative under-achievement. The fact that the panel may have taken views that are more stringent than those of panels that considered the direct reports on the same/similar KPIs should be avoided in future. The City Manager's scorecard should ideally be an aggregation of the directorates' reports and his final review should closely resemble the achievement of the collective.
We must ensure we create an environment that allows people to perform, that we pay attention to applying the system accurately, fairly and transparently and that we remember at all times that the system is meant to ensure that we serve our communities better.
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