The presidency will have developed detailed performance measures for all government departments by the end of October.
This follows the release of a green paper by ministers in the presidency - Collins Chabane and Trevor Manuel. The consultation document sets out government's position on national strategic planning. The paper will be submitted to Parliament, and will be adopted only once public hearings have been held.
The presidency has noted that while the process is a lengthy one, it will ensure transparency and accountability of all departments.
“While government has done well to improve access to services for people who were previously denied, we have not done well in improving the quality,” notes the presidency.
The measures will be informed by the recently released Medium-Term Strategy Framework (MTSF), 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 services.
The framework identifies several priorities and calls for the development of ICT as an important part of economic goals. It notes the creation of ICT infrastructure as a means of building social and economic infrastructure and sets out the role of ICT in several projects.
The process
Government will identify 20-25 outcomes based on the already approved MTSF. The presidency will develop a set of measures to assess, on a regular basis, if projects are still on track to deliver set outcomes.
For each sector, an individual minister, groups of ministers, or clusters of ministers and MECs will receive a letter from the president outlining expected outcomes, and the measures the presidency will use to assess success. Every six months, meetings will be held between the president and the sector political leadership to assess progress.
In each sector, a Service Delivery Forum consisting of the key people involved in service delivery will be formed. Each forum will negotiate a delivery agreement between all the role players. This will outline the roles, contribution and funds that each will contribute to achieving the outcomes.
Extra costs
The presidency says measures that are being introduced will improve the efficiency of all priority areas.
“These are the sectors that are at the heart of developing this country. It should also be noted that we spend far more than half of our budget on these priorities - it is important that we get value for our money,” states the presidency.
While government departments will try to achieve established performance goals with the same budget, additional funding will be made available if necessary.
“Sector allocations will remain within the present parameters, and there will be reprioritisation and new funding in a fiscally responsible way,” the presidency adds.
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