An exploration of the design of job descriptions in the South African Police Service

Abstract

The research entailed an exploration of the design of job descriptions (JDs) in the South African Police Service (SAPS). A JD represents an official document that defines general duties, tasks, and related job responsibilities. It details the job features and the essential abilities required to perform the job. JDs are fundamental and vital to outline the job duties harmonised with the relevant organisation’s policy, ethos, goals, mission, and vision. Participants in this study were purposefully chosen to conduct semi-structured interviews and focus groups with information-rich SAPS Human Resource (HR) practitioners from both the support and operational career streams, to gain their insights into and viewpoints on the JD processes in the SAPS. The National Head Office: Divisions: Human Resource Utilisation (HRU) and Operational Response Service (ORS) and the information-rich provincial HR practitioners who support and monitor the implementation of JDs in the SAPS were included in this study. The participants were asked to answer open-ended questions that aimed to explore the design of JDs in the SAPS. The interviews were recorded with the participants’ permission. The recorded information was translated verbatim and analysed. The six fundamental themes that emerged are: value and benefits of JDs; processes to coordinate and monitor JDs to ensure effective management; the potential of JDs to enhance police performance; knowledge and skills for designing JDs; attitudes, experiences, and challenges of JDs; and recommendations of electronic JD systems. The topics were delineated using direct quotations from the participants as gained during the interviews. Opinions, experiences, administrative aspects, and criticism of the various features of JDs in the SAPS was explored. In summary, the research recommendations and conclusion were given. The results of this study show there are several factors that can enable and optimise inclusion in the effective designing process of JDs in the SAPS.

Ucwaningo lubandakanya ukuhlolisiswa komdwebo wezincazelo zemisebenzi (JDs) eNingizimu Afrika Amaphoyisa (SAPS). I-JD imelela idokhumenti esemthethweni echaza imisebenzi ejwayelekile, imisebenzi, kanye nemithwalo yemisebenzi ehlobene. It ichaza izici zomsebenzi kanye namakhono abalulekile adingekayo ukuze enze lo msebenzi. I-JDs iyigugu futhi ibalulekile ukuchaza imisebenzi ehambisana nomgomo wenhlangano efanele, izinhloso, izinhloso, umsebenzi kanye nombono. Abahlanganyeli kulolu cwaningo babekhethwe ngenhloso yokuqhuba izingxoxo ezihleliwe kanye namaqembu okugxila abasebenza nge-SAPS Human Resource (HR) abaqeqeshiwe abavela kuzo zombili ukusekela nokusebenza kwemifudlana yomsebenzi, ukuze bathole ukuqonda kwabo kanye nokubukwa kwizinhlelo ze-JD kuma-SAPS. I-Ofisi Eyinhloko Kazwelonke: Izigaba: Ukusetshenziswa Kwemithombo Yabantu (HRU) kanye ne-Operational Response Service (ORS) kanye nabasebenzi abacebile be-HR esifundazweni abanolwazi abaxhasa futhi baqaphe ukuqaliswa kwe-JDs kuma-SAPS bafakiwe kulolu cwaningo. Abahlanganyeli babuzwa ukuthi baphendule imibuzo evulekile ehlose ukuhlola ukuklama kwama-JD ku-SAPS. Lezi zincwadi zabhalwa nemvume yabahlanganyeli. Ulwazi olurekhodiwe luhunyushwe ngokucacile futhi luhlaziywe. Izingqikithi eziyisithupha eziyisisekelo ezivela ziyizi: inani nenzuzo ye-JDs; izinqubo zokuxhumanisa nokuqapha i-JDs ukuqinisekisa ukuphathwa okuphumelelayo; ikhono lama-JDs ukuthuthukisa ukusebenza kwamaphoyisa; ulwazi namakhono wokwakha i-JDs; isimo sengqondo, okuhlangenwe nakho, nezinselelo ze-JDs; kanye nezincomo zezinhlelo ze-JD zobuchwepheshe. Izihloko zachazwa ngokucaphuno okuqondile kusuka kubahlanganyeli njengoba zitholakale ngesikhathi sokuxoxisana. Imibono, okuhlangenwe nakho, izici zokuphatha, nokugxeka izici ezihlukahlukene ze-JDs ku-SAPS kuhlolwe. Ngamafuphi, izincomo zocwaningo nesiphetho zanikezwa. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo ibonisa ukuthi kunezici eziningana ezingasiza futhi zenzeke ukufakwa ekusebenzeni okuphumelelayo kwe-JDs kuma-SAPS.

Phuputso e kenyeletsa ho hlahloba moralo oa litlhaloso tsa mosebetsi (JDs) Lefapheng la Mapolesa a Afrika Boroa (SAPS). JD e emela tokomane ea molao e hlalosang mesebetsi e tloaelehileng, mesebetsi le mesebetsi e amanang le mosebetsi. E hlalosa lintlha tsa mosebetsi le bokhoni ba bohlokoa bo hlokahalang bakeng sa ho etsa mosebetsi. Li-JDs ke tsa motheo le tsa bohlokoa ho hlalosang mesebetsi e lumellanang le leano la mokhatlo o hlophisitsoeng, litokelo, lipakane, mosebetsi le pono. Barupeluoa thutong ena ba ne ba khethiloe ka boomo ho etsa lipuisano tse hlophisitsoeng hantle le lihlopha tse tsepamisisang maikutlo le basebeletsi ba ruileng ba SAPS Human Resource (HR) ba tšehetso le litšebeletso tsa mesebetsi e le hore ba fumane litlhaloso tsa bona le maikutlo a bona ka ts'ebetso ea JD SAPS. Lekala la Sechaba: Likarohano: Tšebeliso ea Lisebelisoa tsa Botho (HRU) le Tšebeletso ea Likarabo tsa Ts'ebetso (ORS) le basebetsi ba ruileng ba profinseng ba HR ba tšehetsang le ho shebella ts'ebetsong ea JDs ho SAPS ba kenyelelitsoe thuputsong ena. Barupeluoa ba ile ba botsoa hore ba arabe lipotso tse bulehileng tse neng li reretsoe ho hlahloba moralo oa JDs ho SAPS. Lipuisano li ngotsoe ka tumello ea barupeluoa. Boitsebiso bo tlalehiloeng bo fetoletsoe ka mantsoe le ho hlahlojoa. Lihlooho tse tšeletseng tsa bohlokoa tse hlahang ke: boleng le melemo ea JDs; e sebetsana le ho hokahanya le ho hlahloba li-JD ho etsa bonnete ba hore tsamaiso e nepahetseng; bokhoni ba JDs ho ntlafatsa ts'ebetso ea mapolesa; tsebo le bokhoni ba ho theha JDs; boikutlo, liphihlelo le mathata a JDs; le litlhahiso tsa mekhoa ea JD ea elektronike. Lihlooho li hlalositsoe ka litlhaloso tse tobileng ho tsoa ho barupeluoa tse fumanoang nakong ea lipuisano. Maikutlo, liphihlelo, likarolo tsa tsamaiso, le ho nyatsa likarolo tse sa tšoaneng tsa JDs li SAPS li ile tsa hlahlojoa. Ka kakaretso, liphuputso le liphello li ile tsa fanoa. Liphello tsa phuputso ena li bonts'a hore ho na le lintlha tse 'maloa tse ka khonang le ho ntlafatsa ho kenngoa tshebetsong e sebetsang ea ho qapa li-JDs ho SAPS.