"All of us are called to take service delivery to another level. We are expected to serve and in doing that, we must give it our best," she said at the official launch of Public Service Month in Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal.

Held under the theme '15 Years of Batho Pele: Strengthening the Ethos of Batho Pele and Recommitment towards an Efficient, Effective and Development Oriented Public Service and Empowered Citizenry', Dlodlo said this was the month where public servants should be more visible.

Dlodlo said unannounced visits will be conducted to various government departments to monitor service delivery.

She urged all public servants to always practise the Batho Pele (people first) principles when serving the public.

The Public Service Month initiative is an integrated strategic national event in the calendar of the Public Service and Administration Department. All national and provincial departments are required to participate by putting in place activities and campaigns to take service delivery to a higher level.

The objective of this year's Public Service Month is to innovate new ways of thinking that will ensure the continuous improvement of the public service; strengthening citizen participation and following up and monitoring service delivery.

Also addressing the launch, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Health Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo warned public servants that there was no room to tolerate corruption.

"We are called to have an impeccable record on serving people," he said, challenging public servants to come up with new ways to improve the way they work.

Before the launch, Dlodlo, accompanied by Dhlomo and other officials, paid an announced visit to the Tongaat Community Health Centre to get first-hand experience on the level of service delivery and how patients were being treated.

The deputy minister said she was impressed by the level of service delivery at the centre. Dlodlo used the opportunity to interact with the patients, who generally were pleased with the manner in which they were treated.

Dlodlo was enthused by the good relations between the nurses and the patients, and the cleanliness of the centre.

"We urge the staff to continue with the good work that they are doing," she said.

Dlodlo's sentiments were echoed by Sizakele Mthimkhulu, a patient at the centre.

"I have just arrived and I have been helped already," she said.

Gogo Thozamile Magaqa, who arrived at the health centre with a knee complaint, was happy with the swift service.

"The service here is very good and the nurses care about the elderly," she said.

Dlodlo also paid tribute to the late Minister for Public Service and Administration Roy Padayachie, who passed on earlier this year while on duty in Ethopia.