GSSC defends CEO departure

Johannesburg, 07 Apr 2009

The Gauteng Shared Services Centre (GSSC) has defended the circumstances surrounding the resignation of CEO Mike Maile.

Following reports by ITWeb that his departure was due to challenges faced by the agency, GSSC spokesperson Khusela Sangoni has responded that these reports are unfounded.

Maile, who was been with the agency for three years, resigned earlier in the year and will vacate his seat in July. Current chief operating officer Molaodi Khutsoane has recently been appointed CEO.

Below is the GSSC's statement in response to ITWeb, quoted verbatim.

Attacks on the person of Mike Maile unbecoming

The Gauteng Shared Service Centre notes the continued negative statements, riddled with innuendo, seeking to tarnish the image of Mike Maile, the CEO of the GSSC. Ordinarily; we would not go to this length to explain these matters lest we are accused of self-adulation. However it would be to give credence to the allegations of the prophets of doom not mention these.

It is our hope that interest will be taken in the work that we do to improve the quality of life of our fellow countrymen. These achievements point to the capabilities of Maile to lead and inspire.

Firstly

Under the leadership of Maile, the organisation has had three unqualified audit reports. This is testament to the fact that the organisation has taken great strides in overcoming some of the teething problems experienced when the Shared Service Centre was established. It is an affirmation that our corporate governance culture is solid.

Secondly

The organisation is pioneering some of the key strategic projects for the Gauteng Provincial Government. Among these are:

* E-Government programme is a catalyst for the creation of greater access to government services. The programme encompasses the use of four channels to access services. This includes telephony through the Gauteng Contact Centre using one number (0860 4288364) to access a comprehensive set of services on a single number. The programme also provides remote connectivity for community development workers who are deployed through out the province, enabling access to information wherever they are in order to assist the elderly and people with disabilities. The programme also makes use of the Gauteng online web portal www.gautengonline.gov.za to enable business and citizens to access services on line including applying for jobs on line.

* We are now at an advanced stage with the development of the G-Link blue print programme business plan. This programme will ensure that the provision of broadband capacity is revolutionised; easily accessed and cheaper. This will be a major boost to government's drive to propel greater economic growth, job creation and social inclusion.

* We have established the Centre of Innovation within the organisation. The centre is a catalyst for the development of innovative ideas for the conduct of the business of the GSSC. One of the key projects to emerge from this drive is our Mobile Application System. The system enables prospective employees to apply for employment by sending their ID and job reference number using their mobile phones. This is another drive to ensure that the process of applying for a job is cheaper, seamless and accessible.

* We are recipients of an internationally recognised award for providing the most comprehensive Employee Health and Wellness Programme in the public sector.

* We also recipients of the Silver award for implementing the five year programme of government in the Premier's Service Excellence Awards.

* Our rating in the “Deloitte Best Company to Work for” survey continues to improve. This is a demonstration that we have taken great strides in a bid to improve the working environment of our employees in order to boost productivity and service delivery.

* We will be in the near future re-launching the Gauteng online schools programme to demonstrate the progress we have made in overcoming some of the challenges that sought to derail this flagship project. This project will in the coming years become a key driver of initiatives seeking to provide elementary ICT education for learners in the public schooling system. Another key initiative in government's bid to build a socially cohesive society.

* In the first quarter of the commencing financial year; we will be opening a branch of the professional job centre in Soweto. The centre will serve as one of our service points for the receipt of CV's from members of the public who are applying for jobs in the Gauteng Provincial Government. The centre will among others have on site consultants who will assist members of the public with tips on job hunting, CV writing and how to approach job interviews. This will again contribute to the cost transport and other related expenses when applying for employment in the Gauteng Provincial Government.

* ATOS is an internationally service for benchmarking shared services. This organisation assesses the maturity of organisations using 5 levels. GSSC is currently benchmarked at level 3. A level 3 organisation is a performing organisation. We already have the characteristics of a level 4 organisation; among others we are automating our services. These include the Supplier Relationship Management System that will allow prospective suppliers to register on the line.

The successes that we refer to above are some of the few that are driven by the GSSC as part of contributing to the vision of building a “better Gauteng”.