Overview
Human Resource Management in the CWDM is aimed at establishing a representative, competent and well-managed workforce, committed to delivering high quality services to the people of the Cape Winelands District. Human Resources provides the following support services for line management:
- Industrial relations
- Recruitment and selection
- Human resource administration, development and management
- Occupational health and safety
- Training and development
- Individual performance management
Organisational Structure
Macro and Micro Organograms
The Restructuring and Placement Agreement of South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) requires new municipalities to prepare final organograms of all departments and submit this proposal to the Local Labour Forum for consultation. Following the principle of “structure follow strategy”, the CWDM completed its organogram in relation to the IDP. The macro-structure was approved on 24 June 2002, whilst the micro-structure was approved and adopted on 22 April 2003. For organizational efficiency and effectiveness the organogram is subjected to continuous /periodical adjustments in order to align it with the annual review processes of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and powers and functions. In this regard the transfer of Municipal Health Services from the B-municipalities to the CWDM with effect from 1 July 2004 has resulted in a new organogram that has been developed for this function and the subsequent placement of all staff of Municipal Health Services in the new structure on 6 December 2005.
Restructuring and Placement Process
In October 2003, the CWDM successfully completed the placement process. The few objections that arose were referred to the Bargaining Council. In terms of the Restructuring and Placement Agreement, the Job Evaluation Committee of the Bargaining Council is to evaluate all the posts of the newly formed local authority within one year of the completion of the placement process. The CWDM is currently undertaking the job evaluation process. Staff members are closely involved in this process, as they participate in developing their own job descriptions, individual development plans and performance measures.
Employment
Revised Employment Equity Plan, 2004-2009
During 2003/2004 the CWDM embarked on the process to revise the five-year Employment Equity Plan which will be completed and ready for implementation during 2004/2005. The revision process provides the CWDM and its social partners with an opportunity to re-examine their employment policies and practices, and re-evaluate the status quo of employment equity in the district. Targeting the remaining discriminatory barriers, the revised Employment Equity Plan sets out numeric and non-numeric objectives for each year of the plan’s duration.
The principal goal of the CWDM Employment Equity Plan is to speed up the creation of a representative and equitable CWDM, and to build an environment that supports and enables those who have been historically disadvantaged by unfair discrimination to fulfil their maximum potential. This will allow the CWDM to derive the maximum benefit of individuals’ diverse skills and talents, and thereby improve service delivery.
The objectives of the Employment Equity Plan derived from this goal are:
- To enhance the capabilities of the historically disadvantaged through the development and introduction of practical measures (i.e. skills development), which supports their advancement within the CWDM
- To inculcate a culture in the CWDM that values diversity and supports affirmation of those who have previously been unfairly disadvantaged
- To speed up the achievement of progressive numeric targets set for October 2004 –October 2009
Diversity Management Strategy
Complimenting the revised Employment Equity Plan, the CWDM Diversity Management Strategy was finalised during 2003/2004. It aims to promote a work environment that accommodates and values multiculturalism and diversity in the CWDM. This in turn fosters meaningful teamwork, and more innovative work practices that maximise productivity and increase customer responsiveness.
In 2003/04, HR Management gave the Diversity Management Programme a kick-start by workshopping most of the CWDM employees in nation-building.
The specific objectives of the Diversity Management Strategy are to:
- Analyse the existing corporate culture and identify practices that support or undermine cultural diversity
- Identify, raise awareness and sensitise managers and workers to differences associated with gender, race, religion, disability, nationality etc.
- Cultivate respect, acceptance and understanding among diverse groups in the CWDM
- Institutionalise diversity management by integrating it with the organisation’s practices, policies and systems
- Facilitate the creation of an appropriate environment for nation-building and peaceful co-existence
The achievement of the above objectives is an on-going challenge.
Collective Aggreement on Conditions of Service
As of 1 January 2004, the CWDM has implemented Uniform Conditions of Service as negotiated at the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC). The objective of the collective agreement is to establish common and uniform conditions of service for municipal employees, which are to remain in place until 31 December 2006. The agreement replaces all existing conditions of service that apply in municipalities with the exception of more favourable conditions. These will be phased out on the 31st December 2005, according to a process that is yet to be agreed upon in the SALGBC.
The following conditions of service have been determined to as favourable conditions of service:
- Annual leave for 5-day workers in excess of 24 working days
- Annual leave for 6-day workers in excess of 27 working days
- Sick leave dispensations that are more favourable than 80 working days over a three year cycle
- Maternity leave benefits that are more favourable than 3 months paid maternity leave
- Family responsibility leave in excess of 5 working days leave
- Housing subsidies in respect of a mortgage bond in excess of R85 000
- Severance pay in excess of 3 weeks remuneration for every completed year of service capped at 9 months, thereafter 1 weeks remuneration for each completed year of service
Individual Performance Management
The 2003/04 year saw the introduction of individual balanced scorecards for employees of the CWDM. These scorecards facilitate regular monitoring of employee performance. They also serve to link individual performance agreements and skills development plans with the IDP objectives and Municipal and Departmental scorecards.
Skills Development
A Workplace Skills Plan was developed for 2003/2004, and was successfully implemented by the CWDM. The Plan outlines the employment and employee qualification profiles of the CWDM, and identifies training and skills priorities on an annual basis.
The CWDM committed funds to improving the skills level of its workforce. Skills development projects include:
- An Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) programme has been organised by the CWDM. It is expected that 72 employees will complete Afrikaans and Xhosa Levels 1 and 2, and English Level 1 by the end of 2004.
- Members of the CWDM staff are currently studying at tertiary institutions around the Western Cape Province through the financial support of the CWDM.
- Internships are running in the Department of Finance
- Programmes are running in collaboration with Provincial Government on Municipal Management, Women’s Development and Municipal Executive Development
Occupational Health and Safety
During the past year the CWDM has focused on ensuring employee health and safety, as prescribed in the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 85 of 1993. Health and Safety Committees were set up in the workplace to ensure that all employees exposed to health and safety risks have a forum to remedy these situations. In addition, Health and Safety Representatives were elected and appointed in the different departments.
The Construction Regulations, promulgated under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, introduced generic safety plans in conjunction with the Roads Directorate to enhance compliance to contractor health and safety in the Expended Public Works Programme (EPWP). Several awareness sessions were held with Roads personnel to explain the implications of these new regulations. This information was also shared with other Western Cape district municipalities at the Roads Conference in October 2004.
Other functions performed by the Health and Safety Section to ensure compliance include:
- Contractor site visits
- Routine inspections at different workplace in the district
- Incident investigation
- Administration of injuries on duty
Industrial Relations
The CWDM promotes sound labour relations by facilitating an atmosphere of collective bargaining at the workplace. The Local Labour Forum has been established to facilitate and organize employee participation. Furthermore, relevant stakeholders and trade unions have been involved in the adoption of Human Resource Management policies, such as the Employment Equity Plan 2004-2009, the Diversity Management Strategy and the Collective Agreement on Conditions of Service. These processes have helped to create a stable environment within the CWDM which is condusive for accelarating service delivery and developmental objectives of the CWDM.
Human Resource Policies
HR Policies cover the following:
- attendance & punctuality
- cell phone
- chronic illness
- confidentiality
- education
- employee study aid
- induction
- internet & email
- media
- nepotism
- occupational health & safety
- phone
- private work
- Recruitment & Selection
- sexual harassment
- smoking
- substance abuse
- training & development
- travel & removal expenses
- uniform & protective clothing
- use of official vehicle policy
Other Conditions of Service
Other conditions of service include:
- accident leave
- acting allowance
- fire brigade allowance
- Furniture removal costs
- Group Life Insurance Scheme
- intimidation of employees due to unrest
- Leave in respect of temporary personnel
- membership of Medical Schemes
- Membership of pension/retirement/provident funds
- membership of trade unions
- overtime
- probationary period
- recognition of long service
- recognition of service on retirement
- remuneration
- salary grades and increases
- service bonuses
- Special leave for purposes of study/taking an examination
- stand by allowance
- termination of contract of employment
- transport allowance scheme for essential users
- travel and subsistence costs
- vehicle financing scheme
The key challenge for policy development and conditions of service is to ensure compliance with relevant legislative arrangements. In order to achieve this, a Task Team was established in 2004, with representatives from both the employer and labour.