The eThekwini Municipality is accelerating the digitisation of its Human Resources (HR) systems, a strategic shift aimed at improving accountability, enhancing workforce performance and enabling faster and more reliable services for residents.
This was highlighted during an oversight visit by the Governance and Human Resources Portfolio Committee to employee training sessions on the new digital HR platform.
The visit was led by committee chairperson Nkosenhle Madlala and focused on assessing implementation milestones and organisational readiness of the new digital HR platform.
The oversight visit underscored the municipality’s commitment to transforming internal systems to deliver visible, and measurable improvements in public service delivery.
The HR digital transformation is designed to enhance the employee experience, while improving the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of municipal operations.
By reducing manual processes, eliminating duplication and strengthening internal controls, the initiative aims to address long-standing inefficiencies, reduces errors, and improve transparency and accountability.
Speaking during a briefing on Wednesday, Madlala said the digitisation of HR services would resolve several operational challenges by consolidating previously fragmented processes into a single, reliable and compliant system.
“In a rapidly changing world of work, digital transformation is no longer optional. It allows us to reduce time spent on manual administrative tasks and redirect our efforts towards citizen centric services,” Madlala said.
The new system is expected to improve performance tracking and accountability across the municipality, helping to curb corruption, remove bottlenecks and ensure employees deliver on their mandates.
It will also streamline recruitment processes and strengthen integrity in hiring, closing loopholes linked to job scams, “ghost employee” allegations, and mishandled applications.
“This is a modern, user-friendly approach [platform] that allows job seekers to apply from anywhere, track their progress and experience a smoother onboarding process,” Madlala added.
The digitised HR platform is further designed to improve compliance with the Municipal Standard Chart of Accounts (mSCOA) by aligning financial and non-financial processes, enabling better reporting and stronger organisational performance.
To ensure a smooth transition, the HR team is conducting hands-on training to equip employees with the skills needed to operate effectively in the new system, with a focus on simplicity, transparency and service excellence.
The municipality said its e-Recruitment system is expected to go live in February, with full integration of HR functions scheduled to be operational by March 2026.
Officials said the transformation marks a decisive step towards improved performance and the delivery of faster, more transparent and higher-quality services to communities across eThekwini. – SAnews.gov.za
