Service delivery training interventions in the Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to determine the impact made by service delivery training interventions in the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport in the Mpumalanga Provincial Administration. There has been great concern that training is conducted annually in the Department, but improvement in the individual’s - work performance, growth, development and service delivery is not realized. It has been a great concern also that, it is difficult to measure work performance in the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport since there are no tools in place which can measure and assess both pre - and post - impact of training interventions. The study opens with an orientation to the problem and related issues, and findings from literature. Various legislative and policy frameworks guiding training and development are discussed in Chapter Two and the actual data collection is outlined in Chapter Three. Results are presented in Chapter Four, interpretation of results in Chapter Five. The study is concluded in Chapter Six. The respondents, Middle and Senior Managers who were interviewed, revealed that most of the training conducted is irrelevant and these are not driven by the demands for skills, but by problems and challenges encountered by employees. An observation has been made that it is also imperative to ensure that training programmes are informed by the needs and objectives of the department. Interviewees also reflected on the issue of limited resources and budgetary decline. Interviewees also indicated that most people attend training as a way of destressing themselves of the work environment. The implementation of the Workplace Skills Plan also leaves much to be desired. It was also indicated by managers who were interviewed that training should be viewed not as an expense, but rather as investment in human capital. It is hoped that the recommendations emanating from the findings in Chapter five of the research will be utilized with the view to improve work performance and speedy delivery of services in the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport and further enhance the effective and efficient realization of organisational goals and objectives.