Local Government, Environ-mental Affairs and Development Planning
With regard to the plan according to which half of the Garden Route District Municipality’s staff will work from home due to the resurgence of COVID-19 in the Garden Route and the gradual implementation of the plan:
(1) (a) What is the breakdown of the details of the plan to be implemented at the Garden Route District Municipality, (b) by when will the plan be implemented and (c) how will it be implemented gradually;
(2) which factors informed the decision about which staff members will be working from home;
(3) whether the change in the work location of staff members will affect the service delivery in the district; if not,
(a) why not and (b) how will good service delivery be upheld?
The question was sent to the Garden Route District Municipality and the following response was provided by the Municipality:
4 (1) (a) The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) plan has been developed taking into account each departments capacity to execute its function remotely.
The GRDM consists of the following departments:
• Office of the Municipal Manager
• Corporate services
• Finance
• Planning and economic Development
• Community services
• Roads and Transport
Each of these departments had to decide which of the functions could be performed by the employees working remotely ensuring that service delivery would not be negatively affected. Those employees, who perform critical functions which cannot be performed remotely, will continue to work from the office, while those functions that can be performed remotely will then form part of the 50%.
It has to be noted that reducing staff to 50% does not mean that the employees will not be working; it means is that they will work from their homes instead of being in the office. All these plans were submitted to the management committee (MANCOM) for approval, ensuring that service delivery is not affected.
4 (1) (b) MANCOM took the resolution on the 07 December 2020 and the plan is effective until the 15 January 2021.
4 (1) (c) Head of Departments are champions in their departments, and they are the implementers of the plan, and they will ensure that there is gradual implementation in their departments.
4 (2) During level 4-3, each Head of Department identified employees that will be able to work from home. Some of the employees applied to work from home due to their comorbidities which the employer granted to those who met the requirement, also guided by DPSA Circular 27 of 2020.
4 (3) (a) The Municipality has taken steps such as approving a Work from Home Policy that details what is expected of employees. Employees have also been workshopped about the concept “working from home”. Each HOD is responsible for ensuring that employees are productive, and they deliver high quality service.
4 (3) (b) Monitoring and evaluation will be the tool that is going to be used to ensure good service delivery. All GRDM essential employees such as fire fighters, Municipal Health officials, Disaster Management continues to render service delivery on a shift system and on a rotational basis, this ensures that service delivery is executed on a high level.
