City of Johannesburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba has proved to be a man of his word.
The mayor has announced that the much-awaited skills audit on City employees will begin on 6 October. The skills audit is something that the mayor has been talking about, even before he took office. During his campaign, this was one of the core promises that he made to the residents of Johannesburg, citing it as a key requirement in achieving a professional civil service to ensure that the right people are in the right positions to serve the community.
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“I have continuously stressed the importance of a professional and qualified public service in order for us to effectively fulfill our promise to create jobs, deliver better services and stop corruption,” read a statement from Mashaba.
He highlighted that the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Corporate and Shared Services, Dr Ntombi Khumalo has sent out a letter to all employees informing them of the development. In the letter, Khumalo implored employees to be a part of the initiative and to cooperate with all requests from those conducting the audit.
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According to Mashaba, the skills audit is in line with the new administration’s commitment to being open, fair and transparent. He added that the skills audit sought to identify the skills and knowledge that City employees have, against the skills and knowledge that the City requires to improve service delivery.
“It will also help to ensure that various positions and responsibilities in our City are filled by individuals who have the required knowledge, skills and/or experience,” said Mashaba.
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To avoid allegations of political interference or bias, Mashaba said the audit would be conducted by an independent body. “The days of patronage and using City posts to reward friends and family are over in the City of Johannesburg. It is now the time to build a city that our residents can be proud of.”
The mayor said the skills audit would not only help employees to function to the best of their ability, but it will also help the City to raise the bar in service delivery. “At all times, the best interests of our residents will be of paramount importance during this process,” he concluded.
