1. To ensure that fax services at Head Office (Grand Central Towers and Golden Acre Building) and EMDCs run smoothly, fax machines have been allocated to the various components.
2. In spite of this, complaints like the following are still being received:
  • Fax numbers are engaged.

  • Faxes do not arrive at their destinations.

  • Enquiries directed per fax are not answered.

  • Fax facilities are not used for the purpose for which they were intended, namely the receiving and sending of urgent official correspondence.

  • Faxes are too long. This is not only time-consuming, but also causes the telephone line to which the machine is connected to remain engaged for long periods of time. This leads to congestion, delays and unneccessary enquiries.

  • The information can be sent out via ordinary post or priority mail which is more effective.

  • Most information can be sent via e-mail.

  • Fax facilities are used for private purposes.

  • Less urgent information which could have been delivered via the messenger services is faxed between the offices at Head Office.

  • No record is kept of incoming/outgoing faxes.

3. To ensure the effective and economical application of fax services, and to improve service delivery, the following measures will become effective immediately:
3.1 Control measures regarding fax facilities
  • In future only faxes of up to 5 pages may be sent out. If a message exceeds this limit, it must be approved by an assistant director or an official with an equivalent or higher rank.

  • Officials must plan their work in such a way that the need for sending out faxes is limited.

  • Officials who approve fax messages must print their names underneath their signatures.

  • The General Registry on the 6th Floor of Grand Central Towers is responsible for general fax facilities at Head Office and must be kept informed regarding movements and rotations in order to avoid unnecessary delays in the delivery of faxes. In the case of EMDCs this information must be provided to the Chief Registry Clerk who is responsible for general fax facilities. (particulars below)

  • The instructions on the attached approved form for fax messages (WCED-33) must be adhered to strictly, i.e. only black ink and block letters must be used. Only officials with a rank equivalent to or higher than Senior Officer may approve messages.

  • Receivers of fax messages must print their names below their signatures in a register.

  • Instead of faxes, the existing messenger service must be used to send urgent messages between the different directorates at Head Office.The departmental express service can also be used for this purpose.

  • The financial implications of fax messages must be considered before approval is granted for sending them out. (The unit cost of fax messages is calculated on the same basis as that of telephone calls.).

  • The attached pro forma register must be completed by the section responsible for the dispatch/receipt of faxes for record, control and enquiry purposes. This register must be available for inspection by the audit and record management components at all times.

  • All faxes received or sent must be recorded on the WCED Issue Management System (IMS) by the relevant directorate.

  • The concession to use official fax facilities for private purposes, can be granted in highly exceptional and deserving cases.

4. Any enquiries in the above regard may be directed to Ms M Fick 021 467 2758 or Ms F Manie 021 467 2756.
5. Please bring the contents of this minute to the attention of all concerned.


SIGNED: W.L. CARELSE
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2004:11:02

WCED Fax Cover  (size: 30 KB)
WCED Fax Register  (size: 6 KB)