Media Statement: Premier holds annual Service Excellence Awards | Western Cape Government

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Media Statement: Premier holds annual Service Excellence Awards

9 September 2015

Last night, Tuesday, 8 September 2015, Premier Helen Zille hosted the annual Provincial Service Excellence Awards.

This year’s awards were particularly noteworthy as the Western Cape achieved 12 clean audits out of 13 departments, an unprecedented achievement in the history of South Africa’s democracy.

The annual ceremony – held at the Old Mutual facility in Pinelands, Cape Town – is an opportunity for the Premier to recognise Western Cape Government professionals who have been outstanding during the year. The award categories and the respective winners were:
• Best Public Service Leader (Senior Manager): Jacqueline Samson Swartz
• Best Batho Pele Team: The Cape Access Team
• Best Implemented Programme or Project: Western Cape Education Department
• Best Overall Batho Pele Public Servant: Judiac Ranape and Michael Collison
• Best Frontline Service Employee: Wilfred Solomon Arendse
• Best Provincial Ethics Department: Department of the Premier (Received by Director-General Brent Gerber. It was adjudicated by Public Service Commissioner, Mr Gavin Woods.)

Premier Zille congratulated the winners in her address, before handing out the awards.

She also encouraged government professionals to find innovative ways to provide quality services, within the confines of the law, despite stringent budget restrictions.

“We need to continue exploring methods of removing all blockages in order to allow businesses to operate freely, create jobs and grow our economy. A different outlook is required on how we manage people while providing quality services. The people for whom we work are our clients. This means whatever we are doing should be done to meet the expectations of our clients. And not the other way round,” said Premier Zille.

“This means a higher level of professionalism when dealing with one another, the public and the private sector. It will entail quicker response times, better frontline service engagement with our clients and a change of mind-set.

“Our next target must not only be to achieve a 100% clean audit record, but to become the best-run regional government in the world,” Premier Zille said in her address.
 
Please note: Pictures and names of the prize winners are attached.

Media Enquiries: 

Michael Mpofu
Spokesperson for Premier Helen Zille

Cell: 071 564 5427
Tel: 021 483 4584
Email: michael.mpofu@westerncape.gov.za