- Strategic support services
- Internal audit
- Information technology and telecommunication services
- Communications
10.1 Strategic support services
i. Function/outlook
The Strategic Support Unit (SSU) will provide the City Manager with strategic oversight capacity that will enable him to focus on the long term vision of the City, fast track critical transformation interventions, and provide institutional support to the newly formed organisation.
The following specific functions will be undertaken by the Strategic Support Unit and can be embarked on with immediate effect or as prioritised by the City Manager and Executive Directors. It should be noted that such functions have been identified as providing opportunities to consolidate the transformation that has taken place within Johannesburg over the past two years. The six functions are:
- Intergovernmental and international relations
- City of Johannesburg resource centre (knowledge bank)
- Institutional performance management
- Change management
- Institutional capacity building
- General project support
ii. Outcome
Ensure activities to develop Johannesburg as an African world class city and a best practice employer that leads by example.
iii. Strategies
The Strategic Support Unit ensures that the City Manager has the capacity to make sure that the process of transforming Johannesburg is complete through:
- Developing programmes that assist the City Manager and senior management to keep a focus on the long term transformation strategy for the city
- Assisting in identifying and providing capacity to aspects of the transformation process that needs to be fast tracked
- Assisting in building the institutional capacity of the various components of the City of Johannesburg's administration and political structures
- Establishment and maintenance of governmental and other relationships between the City of Johannesburg and other organisations, in order to share learning
- Oversight of all bi-lateral and multi-lateral relationships
- Ensuring that Johannesburg's interests are represented on all intergovernmental forums
- Gain access to key financial resources (local and international), for strategic projects
- Provide a central contact point where visitors, interested investors, organisations undergoing transition and South African and International cities and governments are able to observe the process of transformation of the City of Johannesburg.
- Capture and safely store the institutional memory and logic of the processes of transformation in the City of Johannesburg over the past decade.
- Develop initiatives with other municipalities around 'shared learning'
iv. Outputs and targets
| Outputs | Targets |
| Representation of the City of Johannesburg on all strategically important local and international bodies | Audit completed by July 2001 Representation (direct or indirect) on all relevant bodies is achieved by Dec 2001 |
| Bilateral and multilateral relationships | Audit of existing relationships completed by June 2002 International Study of possible new advantageous partnerships is conducted by April 2002 |
| IGoli transformation storybook | Publish the iGoli Tranformation story book by end September 2001 |
| Shared learning initiatives | Initiate one shared learning iniative by June 2002 One on-line initiative established between Johannesburg and other local municipalities |
| Performance management system | Policy and procedure manual developed by July 2001 Develop documentation on managing poor performance by July 2001 Prepare a consultation document for the unions on the performance management system by July 2001 Develop performance agreementsSkills and knowledge definitions finalised by July 2001 Performance agreement with call centre by July 2001 Inclusion of PMS system into eJoburg manager Development of PMS training materialDevelopment of performance outputs by July 2001Training by June 2001Electronic product development Development of scorecards for levels 3 to 5 Workshops will be conducted to ensure that the PMS system is effectively implemented |
| Remuneration and benefits strategy | Conduct an analysis and costing of status quo with respect to remuneration and benefits Work out a determination of the cost implications of salary parity by September 2001 Finalise a remuneration strategy for the city by October 2001 Job grading by December 2002 Market surveys and salary levels on an annual basisSalary reviews Retirement fund restructuring |
| Collective bargaining realignment | Realignment of collective bargaining structures |
| Retention and attraction of skills | Develop and finalise a strategy by December 2001 to attract and retain relevant skills to the city in the short, medium and long term |
| Skills monitoring and evaluation | Assist the training and development division in elevating the importance of skills development in the city Assist the training and development division with an employment equity philosophy and plan for the city by October 2001 |
| Customer and employee survey | Ensure the development and finalisation of a customer survey plan to measure customer satisfaction regarding service delivery by December 2001 Ensure the development and finalisation of an employee survey on the internal organisational processes of the city by December 2001 |
| eJoburg Manager | Design and develop the 5 remaining areas of the eJoburg managere Joburg manager on-line and complete by June 2002 Training on usage of eJoburg manager |
| Management service model | Identify, design and modify a model that allows for quick and ongoing monitoring of service delivery within the regions by June 2002 |
| Measurements and comparisons for the city through benchmarking | Internal/UACs First round of scoping, data collection and human resource measures, findings and report complete by July 2001. The mentioned report will form the baseline measures for 2001/02 and a second benchmarking exercise will be complete by June 2002
External |
10.2 Internal audit
i. Function/outlook
Internal Audit Services is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve the City of Johannesburg's operations. It helps the City accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes.
Internal Audit Services reviews the reliability and integrity of information, compliance with policies and regulations, the safeguarding of assets, the economical and efficient use of resources, and established operational goals and objectives. Internal audits encompass financial activities and operations including systems, production, engineering, marketing, and human resources.
ii. Outcome
Providing world-class internal audit service to the City of Johannesburg
iii. Strategy
- Transform the present internal audit function so that it can provide a world-class internal audit service to the City of Johannesburg
iv. Outputs and targets
| Outputs | Targets |
| Transformation of the Audit Division | All staff to become members of the Institute of Internal Auditors Individual development plans and training plans including career development issues to be created and implemented for each employee in accordance with the skills development plan and within the training and development budgetary constraints Create exposure opportunities for staff to gain practical best practice experience by developing a strategic partnering planImplement strategic partnering plan and produce progress report |
| Risk assessments | Quarterly audit committee report Progress report on audit plan reported to Audit Committee |
| Strategic and operational audit plans | Performance plan developed and approved by Audit Committee. |
| Audit projects and quality assurance | Annual quality assurance review from independent external party - results reported to Audit Committee. First report after one year (end 2001/2002) to reflect compliance in all material aspects. Report after three years to be classified as conforming to world-class audit standards |
10.3.1 Information technology
i. Function/outlook
Information technology (IT) has become an integral part of government services. The management of information in the City of Johannesburg has moved out of the back office into the Office of the City Manager. As local government embraces e-commerce and other leading-edge implementations of IT, leadership in managing government's information resources becomes of paramount importance. The development of new service approaches and the enhancement of old ones in this new information era require the active participation of information management from the beginning.
The efficient, effective and innovative use of information technology requires a level of leadership and focus that goes beyond what would be provided in a technical support function. Virtually all of the major companies have appointed Chief Information Officers (CIOs). To reap the full benefits of information management reform, the City of Johannesburg will utilise the full potential of its appointed CIO as an information management leader.
The fundamental principles for information technology in the City of Johannesburg are the following:
- Recognising the role of information management in creating value
- Positioning the CIO for success
- Ensuring the credibility of the CIO structure
- Measuring success and demonstrate results
- Organising information needs to meet business needs
- Developing information management human capital
ii. Problem statements
- Poor/old infrastructure
- Lack of standards and IT architecture due to unclear governance
- Poor information security
- Lack of a holistic IT strategy
- Low level of IT literacy in user community
- Poor user support
- Little standardization of software products
- Inability to manage and share information
- Poor asset management and unlicensed software
iii. Outcome
An e-enabled organisation where accessible information, across council and to communities, through electronic mechanisms, support business and client needs.
iv. Strategies
- Implement information management in line with business needs
- Deliver business value through the use of information technology
- Increase IT awareness in the user community
- Promote and align IT as a critical element of the vision for an African world-class city
- Enable access to information across council
v. Outputs and targets
| Outputs | Targets |
| IT strategy and architecture aligned to business needs | July 2001 |
| e-government strategy | Documented by July 2001 |
| Human resources portal | Design and prototype of HR portal complete by August 2001, as a first demonstration project of an e-government portal for councilImplementation in line with transformation process by November 2001 |
| Data, application and information sharing environment (DAISE) | Created by March 2002 |
| Permit application and payment system | On-line by December 2001 |
| Effective internet capability | IT infrastructure that enables a world-class internet by August 2001 |
| e-enabled City management | July 2001 |
| Network refresh program | August 2001 |
| PC refresh program | On-going 3 year cycle |
| Coordinated website strategy within e-government portal | July 2001 |
| e-mail standardisation | September 2001 |
| IT asset management system | September 2001 |
| IT security policy and standards | Implemented by March 2002 |
| IT policy and procedures | Documented by July 2001 |
| IT training program | Initiated by December 2001 |
| IT governance model | Signed off by December 2001 |
10.3.2 Telecommunication services (Oursourced)
i. Function/outlook
Council outsourced the telecommunications function and identified two primary areas of concern, namely the establishment of a customer contact centre and the co-ordination of a centralised telecommunication services (call centre). The roles and responsibilities to be performed by the outsourced company are the following:
- To implement a three telephone number customer contact system for the city
- To establish and maintain a single telephony platform and end user systems and equipment for the city (city voice network)
- To co-ordinate all purchasing, installation, and maintenance of the city's voice network
- To establish, manage and maintain a 24 hour, national emergency telephone number (107) centre for the city
- To establish and maintain an EMS dispatch and resource management centre
- To establish and maintain a Metro Police dispatch and resource management centre
- To establish and maintain a Disaster Management Centre for the city
- To establish, manage and maintain a 24 hour, customer call centre for the city
- To manage and maintain the integrated systems and equipment required for the customer contact centres
- To implement, manage and maintain all radio based communication systems of the city
- To implement and manage cellular telephone systems for the council
ii. Outcome
World-class customer contact centres and telecommunication services meeting client needs
iii. Strategies
The focus of the customer contact centres and telecommunication services will be on the following:
- The implementation of three contact telephone numbers and the co-ordination of telecommunication service delivery through centralised systems
- Monitoring of service delivery in customer contact centres
- Outbound campaigns/programmes into the telecommunication systems to inform customers of any selected council campaign
- The creation of a single 24-hour, customer contact centre with professionally trained staff
- The implementation of enhanced digital telephony systems, including voice mail
- The implementation of vehicle location and mapping systems to enhance and improve response times and to monitor movement of all council vehicles
- The introduction of new intelligent speech radio systems
iv. Outputs and targets
| Outputs | Targets |
| City-wide propriety telephone system | Implemented by June 2002 |
| Three contact numbers for all city contact | Implemented by July 2001 |
| Direct GSM/telephone integration | Integrated by September 2001 |
| Telephone-user management system | Implemented by December 2001 |
| Integrated PBX systems | Implemented by June 2002 |
| Short-term two way radio system | September 2001 |
| 107-centre | Established by July 2001 |
| 107-voice and data network | Upgraded by March 2002 |
| City contact centre | Established by December 2001 |
| City exchange | Established/implemented by September 2001 |
| Incident and customer calls management information system | Implemented by September 2001 |
| Vehicle location and mapping system | Implemented by December 2001 |
| Radio paging system | Implemented by September 2001 |
| Cellular contracts standardisation | Ongoing until December 2003 |
| Consolidation of CCTV camera centres | Inner City and Midrand centres consolidated by June 2002 |
10.4 Communications
i. Functions/outlook
- To explain working policies and actions of the council
- To create awareness of the rights, benefits and obligations of individual citizens and stakeholders
- To persuade citizens to act in accordance with agreed policies in defined circumstances
- To ensure and demonstrate the proper use of taxpayers money
ii. Problem statements
- General decline in resources and funding in real terms over the years
- Limited skills among existing staff
- Technological opportunities not galvanized
- Co-ordination and information-sharing largely un-coordinated
iii. Outcome
Ensure a sustainable positive shift in public opinion, to enhance market demand to live, work and play in the City of Johannesburg.
iv. Strategies
Effective utilisation of resources using positive relevant images, appropriate feedback mechanisms, and quality information targeted at key decision makers and stakeholders.
v. Outputs and targets
| Outputs | Targets |
| City communications strategy | By July 2001: Develop, approve and implement, with a special focus on harnessing opportunities presented by the Johannesburg World Summit |
| Draft language policy for council | For consideration by July 2001 |
| Visitors centre | Identify a physical location for the centre by end July 2001 Gather in all hard copy and electronic material around the transformation process in Johannesburg by August 2001 Gather in all relevant local government transformation documentation from national and provincial government, other unicities, as well as relevant organisations by December 2001 Set up a 'knowledge database" that links local government users into other important institutions and sources of knowledge with respect to local government transformation. |
| 2001/2002 Mayoral communications strategy | Approved and implemented by July 2001 |
| City corporate identity | Finalise the corporate identity of the new unicity and relevant structures by August 2001 and complete implemention by February 2002 |
| Re-launch www.Joburg.org.za | August 2001 |
| Establish Metro News Wire | August 2001 |
| Communications skills audit and training programme for all City communicators | September 2001 |
| Marketing and Tourism Plan | September 2001 Strategic repositioning of Johannesburg, maximising opportunities presented by the Johannesburg World Summit |
| Data base management unit | Full-time unit set up by June 2002 |
| Achieve 90% accuracy on intranet/ internet information | January 2002 |
| International communications programme | Establish a sustainable and impactful programme by January 2002 |
| Performance agreements relating to provision of information with regions and UACs | Conclude agreements by January 2002 |
| Press releases | 10 per week |
| Launch campaigns on six Mayoral priority areas to run for the next 12 months | Conceptulise and launch the campaign by July 2001 |
| Corporate materials (such as brochures, CDs, etc) for media, visitors, exhibitions and conferences | Produced by October 2001 |
| Corporate video | Produced by December 2001 |