A critical narrative analysis of the deployment of corporate arrangements in the conduct of government employee pension fund

• Main Author: Kekana, Makabelo Ephraim
• Other Authors: Muller, Kobus
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2010
• Subjects: South Africa > Government Employees Pension Fund; Civil service > Pensions > South Africa; Pensions trusts > South Africa > Management; Corporatization; Dissertations > Public management and planning; Theses > Public management and planning; School of Public Leadership
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/5372

Thesis (MPA (Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African (SA) government is experiencing problems with regard to its service delivery mandate in public institutions. These problems have resulted from a number of factors, such as SA’s history of unequal distribution of resources; the introduction of remedial legislations and programmes when the new government took office in 1994; incorrect implementation of these legislations and programmes with the accompanying departure of skilled managers accompanied by the influx of new and inexperienced managers. Deliberate interventions were introduced to address this service delivery problem however, many public institutions remain unsuccessful in fulfilling their mandate to service delivery. In this study, the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) is used as a case study to learn more about the effect of corporate governance in addressing service delivery problems in public institutions. As a government entity, the GEPF experienced some service delivery problems with regard to its mandate. Like any other public entity in SA, the GEPF is governed by all legislative provisions governing public entities and is equally affected by challenges such as scarcity of resources (financial; equipment and skills). The objectives of the study is to identify major principles and techniques related to corporatisation as an approach to management practice; to identify major challenges encountered by GEPF prior to corporatisation; and to analyse the deployment of corporate arrangements in the conduct of the GEPF in relation to these techniques and principles. The basis of this research is a thorough literature study and interviews with managers of the GEPF. The major finding of this study is that the GEPF has entrusted basic duties and responsibilities affecting its mandate to employer institutions (EIs). These basic yet sensitive functions have been left arbitrarily to EIs, hence the GEPF is unable to execute its duties in its benefits administration in line with its vision. Other findings include internal processes are incorrectly applied, thus hampering effective and efficient benefits administration; there is lack of, or limited use of a performance management system; there is an inability to deal with predictable problems; and the organisation of resources does not support the vision of the GEPF. Achievements in terms of the corporatisation process to improve performance were noted. The enrolment of the services of consultants to assist the GEPF to improve its performance led to the following: approval of the organisational structure that supports the GEPF’s vision; empowerment of managers in terms of skills capacity; conversion of contract workers to permanent; and taking an aggressive approach to performance and risk management. It is therefore concluded that although challenges still exist, the GEPF has embarked on a systematic process to rid itself of the challenges it faces. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse Owerheidsektor ervaar tans probleme ten opsigte van sy diensleweringsmandaat. Die probleme met swak dienslewering kan toegeskryf word aan faktore soos Suid-Afrika se geskiedenis van wat betref die onbillike verdeling van hulpbronne, die daarstel van ʼn nuwe regering in 1994 wat gelei het tot regstellende wetgewing en programme, die onoordeelkundige implementering van hierdie nuwe wetgewing en programme, en die gepaardgaande verlies van bekwame bestuurders en die aanstelling van nuwe en onervare bestuurders. Ten spyte van doelbewuste ingrypings om die diensleweringprobleem aan te spreek, bly owerheidsinstellings steeds in gebreke om aan hul diensleweringsmandaat te voldoen. Die Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) is as ʼn gevallestudie gebruik om die effek van korporatiewe bestuur op die hantering van diensleweringsprobleme in owerheidsinstellings te bepaal. Die GEPF as ʼn owerheidsinstelling ervaar ook probleme wat sy mandaat van dienslewering betref. In vergelyking met ander owerheidsinstellings ervaar die GEPF soortgelyke uitdagings ten opsigte van hulpbronverdeling (op finansiële vlak, en wat toerusting en vaardighede betref). Die doelwit van die studie is om die hoofbeginsels en -tegnieke verbonde aan korporatisering as ʼn bestuursbeleid te identifiseer, om die hoofuitdagings vir die GEPF voor intervensie op ʼn objektiewe en onbetrokke wyse te identifiseer, en om die tegnieke en beginsels aangewend sedert die implementering van die intervensie te analiseer. Hierdie studie is op ʼn deeglike literatuurstudie en die voer van onderhoude met bestuurslede van die GEPF geskoei. Die vernaamste bevinding van die studie is dat die GEPF sy basiese verpligtinge en verantwoordelikhede rakende sy mandaat aan die werkgewersinstellings toevertrou. Die basiese, dog sensitiewe funksies wat arbitrêr aan die werkgewer oorgelaat word, kniehalter die GEPF om sy administratiewe pligte volgens sy visie uit te voer. Ander bevindings sluit in dat interne prosesse op ʼn ondoeltreffende manier toegepas word, wat dan doeltreffende administrasie kortwiek. Dit sluit in die gebrek of beperkte gebruik van ʼn prestasiebestuurstelsel, die onbevoegdheid om ooglopende probleme te identifiseer en beperkte hulpbronne, wat nie die visie ondersteun nie. Die aanwending van korporatiewe prosesse om dienslewering te verbeter blyk suksesvol te wees. Die aanstelling van konsultante om behulpsaam te wees met dienslewering het gelei tot die goedkeuring van ʼn organisatoriese struktuur wat die visie van die GEPF ondersteun, die bemagtiging van bestuurders omdat hul vaardigheid verbeter is, die aanstelling van kontrakwerkers in permanente poste en ʼn aggressiewe benadering tot prestasie- en risikobestuur. Die gevolgtrekking is dat alhoewel daar nog uitdagings bestaan, die GEPF ʼn sistematiese proses onderneem het om die uitdagings te oorkom.