The Presidency has tabled its policy paper on the national planning, performance monitoring and evaluation processes in Parliament.
Earlier this week, the presidency released a Green Paper and added that detailed performance measures for all governments departments would be drawn up by the end of October.
The Green Paper on National Strategic Planning is a discussion document that sets out the basis for planning and the institutional structures, processes and outputs of the national planning process.
The paper follows the release of the Medium-Term Strategy Framework, which will serve as the foremost frame of reference outlining the government's policy. The document lays out key government priorities and outlines the role of technology in industrial policy, social infrastructure and improving service delivery.
Ministers in the Presidency, Trevor Manuel and Collins Chabane, noted in their presentations to Parliament that the planning process would be made more efficient through government's efforts. They said all “institutional rigidities” needed to be shaken and divisions between departments, spheres, agencies and institutions had to be broken down.
Manuel, in his presentation, said it was critical to understand “the outputs of the planning function are not just a single document in the form of a national plan”. A variety of products, ranging from annual programmes of action and a medium-term strategic framework, to research papers on strategic issues, would be included in the planning process, he added.
He emphasised that government's vision would be inspired and informed by all citizens, and called for active citizen participation.
“The planning function is not conceptualised as a bookish and pedantic process with bespectacled men and women pouring over tomes and computer screens in their offices to emerge, abracadabra, with eureka moments about solutions to problems our country faces. Strategic planning is a dynamic process of engagement with society, government departments, provinces, municipalities and a myriad stakeholders in our country,” said Manuel.
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