Hansard: NA: Mini-Plenary (Debate on Vote 9)
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 18 May 2023
Summary
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Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
MINI PLENARY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY THURSDAY, 18 MAY 2023
VOTE NO 9 – PLANNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION
PROCEEDINGS OF THE MINI-PLENARY SESSION OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Watch: Mini-Plenary (Debate on Vote 9)
Members of the mini-plenary session met at Committee Room M46 at 14:07.
House Chairperson Mr C T Frolick took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayer or meditation.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon members, we apologise for the slight delays, but we had to sort out the clock, because there is a problem with the other mechanism that is supposed to be on the podium. You will follow immediate on your left hand side to see your time allocation and when it expires.
APPROPRIATION BILL
Debate on Vote No 9 - Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation:
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION (Ms M L Ramokgopa): Yes, I am the Deputy Secretary General.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): You are here in your capacity as the Minister in the Presidency.
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION (Ms M L Ramokgopa): Yes, of course.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you.
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION (Ms M L Ramokgopa): Hon House Chairperson of the session, hon Frolick, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ms Pinky Kekana, Acting Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, Ms Telisa Mgweba, hon members of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, hon members of this House, the Director-General in the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr Robert Nkuna and the entire team that is here today, the Secretary of the National Planning Commission, Dr Kifilwe Masiteng, distinguished guests members of the media and fellow South Africans, the hon MaKhawula, I also acknowledge you.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, just continue.
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION (Ms M L Ramokgopa): It is an hon to table the Budget Policy Statement of the Department OF Planking Monitoring and Evaluation for the financial year 2023-24. We use this opportunity to outline the department’s plan for the current financial year and to reflect on the government’s performance on the implementation of developmental goals.
These goals are embedded in the National Development Plan, NDP, and in the seven priority areas for the Sixth Administration as outlined in the Medium-Term Strategic Framework, MTSF, from 2019 to 2024.
During the 2023 state of the nation address, His Excellence President Matamela Ramaphosa acknowledged the collective hope and resilience as one of the defining attributes of our nation. It is through hope that we have been able to navigate and conquer the most challenging as a country, including the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 July unrests and the natural disasters that have affected parts of our country.
Despite the compounding challenges, we remain resilient and looking forward in our pursue to rebuild our economy, restore social cohesion and strengthen social compacts in advancing social economic development, which is very important in our view. We reflect on almost the 30 years of the South African democracy and recognise the significant milestone achieved during this period including the expansion of our social protection system, the increased access to basic education, the improved responsiveness of criminal justice system and strengthening diplomatic relations across Africa and the world.
Hon House Chairperson, allow me to say that equally, we remain critical of the persistent barriers that hinders our country’s development. This includes high rate of unemployment, especially among the youth, increased in crime particularly Gender-based violence and Femicide, the rising costs of living and the stuck inequalities that exists in society.
Through it all, we must hold on to our hope and resilience as a nation in order to protect and advance our democratic gains. We have less than seven years to go to work together towards the realisation of the National Development Plan Vision 2030 which is obviously the South Africa we want to live in.
Hon House Chairperson, priority one of the seven priorities under the Sixth Administration, is to build a capable and an ethical developmental state. A developmental state is anchored on strong strategic leadership, the effective use of resources, people-centred approaches, a robust long-term plan, institutional capacity, service processes and technological platforms to function and deliver on the country’s imperative through a sociocontract with our people.
As the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation, our contribution to this priority lie in strengthening the co- ordination of all spheres of government, the legislature and to certain extent the judiciary to operate in alignment so that we can then now be able to speak about the national interests including our society of course.
In 2021 we introduced the National Framework towards the professionalisation of public service. The framework is among several interventions introduced to ensure a capable, qualified and competent workforce in the public sector that will provide strategic leadership at the political and administrative interface.
The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, continues to support the President of South Africa in the assessment of annual performance of the executive or its executive to ensure that service delivery is an integral aspect of their priorities. As we approach the end of our Medium-Term Strategic Framework, MTSF, for this cycle.
As the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, our role is to assess the alignment of the annual performance plans, APPs, with the broader NDP, and the MTSF, of course and the state of the nation address. The APPs must also be embedded in the budgetary processes of government and institutionalised across all spheres of government to ensure better co-ordination on the provision of service delivery to all our people in society. The crosscutting focus of all annual performance plan must include the rights of women,
youth and persons with disabilities. Through this, we are going to be able to know if we are enhancing the quality of life. For we can only be able to enhance the quality of life if the lowest of the lowest in society are actually getting the services that we are trying to put in so that we can be able to intervene where it is necessary.
As the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation once more, we will continue to work with the sectors to promote a results-based approach and to improve alignment with the NDP, and the MTSF through the standardisation of indicators of sectors with concurrent function.
To date, there have been standardised indicators for eight sectors that were approved for implementation in the financial year 2023-24.
Furthermore, we are facilitating a series of engagements during the current financial year with different stakeholders including civil society, our business sector, different industries of course, the multilateral organisations, globally, developmental partners and citizens aimed at enhancing the capacity of our state. We need to activate
citizenry as a tool for promoting socioeconomic development. The stakeholder engagements will inform our contributions as the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, in the reconfiguration of the state through informed recommendations based on research, consultation and innovation.
I do know that most of the hon members have of course raised the concern with the President that indeed we have too many departments. So, with the reconfiguration, we are trying to make sure that at least our inputs in that reconfiguration of government will be based on what I have just said. Innovation, consultation and research.
The process towards the modernisation and automation of planning is underway. It forms part of government wide electronic quarterly performance system that aims to improve the efficiency of the national planning system through alignment across different planning instruments and effectively utilising new technology including the artificial intelligence, AI.
In addition, our collaboration with spheres of government is improving through the National Steering Committee for
Integrated Planning. The committee is a high level platform for engagement, consultations, sharing of best practices and unblocking development obstacles across all spheres of government. As part of building state accountability and reinforcing ethical values, the government has developed the National Anticorruption Strategy, NACS. It set out a comprehensive programme of action to address both the preventative and reactive measures in the fight against corruption. The process of implementing the NACS has led to the appointment of the Independent National Anticorruption Advisory Council by President Ramaphosa in 2022. The council brings together representatives from civil society and business to work alongside the government to prevent and eliminate corruption which is something we all want to do, of course, in government.
In addition the council will provide advisory inputs on matters related to government’s comprehensive response to the recommendation of the Judicial Commission on Inquiry and Allegations of State Capture.
Hon members, to date, the government has developed an action plan which was tabled in Parliament by President Ramaphosa in
2022 to respond to the recommendations of the commission. As the department we aim to strengthen integrated and co- ordination of programmes within and between the spheres of government. And to cap the persistence of corruption that we always see.
Hon House Chairperson, one of the key interventions of this priority is to enhance the co-ordination between national, provincial and local government and to improve service delivery through the district model, DDM. However, we only do not want to do this, we also want to make sure that active citizenry, through business and civil society and to a certain extent think text do a part as well. For the DDMs as much as it is government are supposed to unlock that which needs intervention for society to be able to get service delivery that they want. The implementation of the DDMs is able to put policy and legislative system into action to promote localisation and improve service delivery as I have alluded to
The DDM is making significant progress in almost all districts across the country. It is reported that districts have developed their one plans to outline areas of socioeconomic development in their respect localities. The plans are being
evaluated to co-ordinate participation of all spheres of government or implementation process. This is key intervention of the National Steering Committee for Integrated Planning.
The mandate of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, is one of the strategic pillars of a capable, ethical and a developmental state. We always hear people say we need to build a developmental state. It becomes important that of course, in whatever it is that we do, do it based on the understanding that at the end of the day what we will be evaluated is if we do have a state that we can say is developmental in nature.
We must unlock the catalistic potential of the country’s planning system to advance developmental goals. All of them. Not only by government, but by also civil society and business as well. In this regard the department has made significant gains, in strengthening integration and harmonisation of planning across the state machinery. This includes conducting extensive assessment study on the state of planning followed by consultation with stakeholders. That led to the development of the policy framework for integrated planning. The framework was adopted by Cabinet for implementation in 2022.
The policy framework and its implementation plan builds on progress made in institutionalising planning and seeks to address gaps such as the fragmentation of planning, inadequate capabilities and the need to improve co-ordination and modernise the planning system towards the achievement of better results.
We have realised that a lot can be done, but if it is not co- ordinated, the impact will not be felt. Therefore it becomes important whatever service delivery that we take to our people must be co-ordinated so that the impact can be felt and can be seen.
The policy framework that we are talking about has further informed the production of the Development Planning Framework Bill. The Bill provides a legislative framework for the National Development Planning System involving the three spheres of government and organs of state informed by the constitutional powers and functions. It further sets out planning functions of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and the National Planning Commission. We aim to table this Bill to Cabinet and Parliament in the current financial year. We are hoping that you make time, of course,
for it to ensure that it is passed because we really need it in order to be able to reach our goals.
Hon members, to improve the impact of the planning system and in advancing the development agenda, we must ensure adequate resource allocation. The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation has developed the Budget Prioritisation Framework, BPF, to facilitate the alignment of planning priorities and the National Budgeting Process on an annual process. The BPF is a key input in the budget deliberations and the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework Committee which makes the recommendation of funding allocation for the country.
Therefore, the department will continue to undertake the annual assessment of the aligned Budget Prioritisation Framework, the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, and the national budget. In the financial year of 2022-23, a research report was commissioned to assess the alignment between the national planning system and the budgeting process. This research revealed that there is relatively good alignment between intervention plans and budgets. However, this
interventions are not translated into result-based targets within institutional plans
Therefore as the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, we have recommended further reforms to improve the alignment of the planning and the budgeting system. The process to institutionalise and to professionalise development planning must be supported with resources and be guided by a long-term robust plan such as the National Development plan.
We plan to change and impact, but most of them all as I have already said, we plan to develop. That is what is important, at the end of the day. We do not just plan so that we can tick boxes that did this and that, but we need development to be seen and be felt by our people.
Hon members, the second priority of the Sixth Administration is on economic transformation and job creation which is very important and I think we can agree on that. In 2022 we released the Mid-Term Monitoring Report which indicated that the government continues to make strides in promoting inclusive economic growth aimed at addressing the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment. The strides are made in the context of economic shocks including
the COVID-19, pandemic, the energy crises and other structural constrains.
One of the notable interventions led by President Ramaphosa is the South African Investment Conference which has been able to raise about a R1,5 trillion worth of investment pledges over the past five years which exceeded the initial targets that we had by 26%. These pledges are aimed at increasing investment and implementation of economic reforms.
As the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, we are consolidating a framework to assess the impact of this investment, because having pledges is actually different from having an investment. So, we really do believe that if we develop a framework to check if these investments are actually having a desired impact for our economy, we would then now be able to ensure that at least our citizens does get what they need to be able to strive, as we receive all these investments that we are celebrating today or promises. This entails consultations and deliberations with captains of industries, the private sector, of course, multilateral companies and other critical stakeholders at a domestic and international level to engage on trade relations and social impact. We are
doing this precisely because we believe that as government, ours is to create an enabling environment, but it is business that will be able to create all the jobs and the targets that we need to develop our people.
During 2022, there has been significant progress in the implementing of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan aimed at unleashing South Africa’s economic potential alongside infrastructure reforms. This include the establishment of the National Economic Crises Committee, Nicom, in 2022, aimed at co-ordinating a response to the electricity crises with a clear mandate to bring an end to load shedding and accelerate new energy generation. To date, the licensing requirement for embedded generation project has been lifted and the pipeline has grown to over 100 private sector projects with more than 9 000 megawatts of capacity anticipated.
Government has also announced an Eskom debt relief of about R254 billion, which is approximately R168 billion in capital and R86 billion interest over the next three years. The government is also pursuing greater competition in transport and logistics, through third party access to the freight, rail
sector in line with the 2022 White Paper on rail policy. The White Paper presents a multidicate vision of how South Africa’s railway should evolve overtime. In addition a freight road to rail migration-based document was developed in the first quarter of the financial year 2022 to 2023. The road to rail performance to 2016 and 2022, indicates that about
724 117 truckloads have been moved of roads to rail. This translate to a total of approximately 24,6 to million tons of volumes that have been through the rail network in the same period. We are aware that this progress is insufficient for our economy to meet the needs and the expectations from various stakeholders, but it is signalling a positive trajectory for movement of goods from our road to rail.
In addition the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, will monitor the performance of state-owned enterprises, SOEs, within the transport sector and government departments in facilitating this process. We will not only do this, but we will also co-ordinate their operations and ensure that at least they do speak to what we need for the economy.
We must leverage on the instrumental roles of SOEs in driving forward structural and economic reforms. This requires that we invest in stability, effectiveness and the financial
sustainability of our SOEs to improve responsiveness in delivering on their mndates.
The roll-out on critical infrastructure is underway in water sanitation and in energy and transport. Projects worth about R134,2 billion are in procurement. An additional
R232,3 billion worth of projects, are also in construction and Lastly, R3,9 billion worth of projects have also been completed in this regard.
Above all, we are making a clarion call on citizens to protect critical economic infrastructure or to partner with law- enforcement to protect this critical infrastructure and to report any criminal activity including cable theft and vandalism as these actions threaten economic growth and the performance. It is always good to see citizens playing a role in at least owning up to things that are serving them for service delivery because they are essentially the owners of whatever it is what government have.
In my capacity as Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, and the Chairperson of the Public Private Growth Initiative I will elevate the call for the
private sector to make sustained contribution in developing, maintaining and expanding economic infrastructure because government cannot do it alone. As much as we put an enabling environment, we do need business to play and partner with so that we can then now be able to create the South Africa we all want to live in.
The Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth, PEPG, I will be central in facilitating, engagement and collaboration between government and the private sector. So, it will not be us asking them, but them complaining, but it will be us talking together, most probably also planning together to be able to achieve our goals. Through partnerships the initiative aims to promote rapid growth in the South African economy to build and strengthen a relationship of trust and co-operation between the public and private sector. And to also implement joint interventions as I have already said. We have seen it happening in developing countries like India. I t is working so well and I do believe that if we try and do it here at home it will definitely yield the fruits that we will enjoy.
Hon House Chairperson, the third priority of the Sixth Administration is on education skills and health. A people-
centred approach to a developmental state requires that we invest and build the capability of citizens through the provision of quality education and health services. Since the dawn of democracy in 1994, we have made great strides to move towards to universal access towards education. The National Student Financial Aid, NSFAS, is steadily increasing access to postschool education and training making it possible for students from poor backgrounds to attend Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET, colleges and public universities, of course.
As part of the South African Connect Programmes, efforts are also been made to up stay connectivity in our schools and create a conducive environment for learners to embrace technological innovations. The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, has initiated engagements with the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies for a discussion on the possibility of increasing the allocated band for teaching and learning. We call on the telecommunication companies to also participate and contribute to ensuring that our children are not excluded from the digital revolution. This includes infrastructure support, training and education and access to
connectivity. And any other thing that maybe they can be aware off that they believe we can actually implement in reaching this goal that we have.
During the current MTSF a lot of emphasis has been placed on improving the overall health care system of our country. The government has developed the National Insurance Health Bill 2020, the implementation of the National Health Insurance, NHI. The Bill aims to improve the total life expectancy of South Africans through programmes that are aimed at having the impact of both communicable and noncommunicable diseases.
Subsequent to the completion of public hearings on the National Insurance Bill in 2020, and its classifications as the desirable Bill, by the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health, we are pleased that the Bill is receiving attention at the National Assembly. We welcome the robust engagements in Parliament and believe that the process will lead to legislation that advances universal quality health care for our citizens which we are all part of, of course.
Thank you very much.
Notwithstanding, we have identified with concern the increasing bills of medico claims, especially in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape provinces. This change strains the already limited financial resources of the government and has the potential to undermine efforts to build an accessible and quality health care system.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Minister, your time has now expired.
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING AND
EVALUATION (Ms M L Ramokgopa): Alright.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): I agreed to a request. It is your maiden Budget Speech, to give you additional time.
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING AND
EVALUATION (Ms M L Ramokgopa): Yes.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): That time has also expired.
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING AND
EVALUATION (Ms M L Ramokgopa): For how long?
I was enjoying myself! [Laughter.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): And I could see that!
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING AND
EVALUATION (Ms M L Ramokgopa): However, I will come back again, but thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen, for the time given to me. [Applause.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Yes. We will just adjust your time at the end accordingly.
The next speaker is the hon Mgweba.
Ms T MGWEBA: House Chair, Minister for Planning and Evaluation, hon Maruping Ramokgopa, Deputy Minister, hon Pinky Kekana, hon members, the department’s Director-General, Mr Nkuna, and the entire team, good afternoon.
It gives me great pleasure and honour to stand before this august House to debate the budget vote of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, DPME.
Planning remains a critical pillar towards the success of any country. To achieve goals and objectives, there is a need to have a plan.
Planning, monitoring and evaluation reports provide a basis for the analysis and critique of public sector performance and monitoring systems that are purely based on the performance of organs of state to realise the objectives of our constitutional democracy.
Without effective planning, monitoring and evaluation it will be impossible to measure government performance, whether we are in the right direction or whether progress and success can be claimed, and how future efforts might be improved.
Hon House Chair, we can’t improve what we don’t measure. Monitoring and evaluation is a critical function for a learning state. A learning state is critical as it strides
away from dogma, but focus on the conditions of our people and of our capacity to implement policies.
The department continues to play a pivotal role of guiding government’s long term strategic planning and annual performance planning. The department’s role is to lead the development of the National Development Plan’s, NDP, five-year implementation and to provide a medium-term roadmap.
The journey of the Sixth Administration is approaching an end, and therefore, our government, through the department, has to provide the country with a performance report on the five-year review of the Medium-Term Strategic Framework, MTSF, implementation report. It is a time for the department to reflect on the performance of the Sixth Administration and account in terms of the implementation of the Medium-Term Strategic Framework of the National Development Plan.
Hon House Chair, the department has developed a Medium-Term Strategic Framework monitoring and reporting tool to assist in assessing performance of the departments and further used in compiling reports on the progress made to determine whether
government is on the track to deliver on the objectives of the National Development Plan.
In assessing and measuring results, alignment of instruments across government departments towards monitoring the deliverables of the MTSF of the NDP will take our beloved country forward.
High level indicators on the MTSF deliverables will also assist to measure the NDP as well as performance of departments.
Hon members, the department is charged with the responsibility of ensuring alignment of Medium-Term Strategic Framework of the NDP with department’s strategic and annual performance plans, APP.
The department scrutinises the plans on an annual basis prior submission of the annual performance plans to Parliament. But, however, there is a trend observed whereby some government departments continue tabling amended strategic and annual performance plans without effecting the recommendations from the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.
Such anomalies, hon Minister, can be addressed through formulation of the legislation. It is long overdue that a key critical department such as DPME exist without any legislation to govern its expected activities.
Such a legislation should empower the department with the powers to intervene to ensure nexus of policy, planning and budgeting. This is fundamental for the implementation of the ANC manifesto commitments.
Hon House Chair and hon members, the implementation of the policy framework on the integrated planning should assist the department to strengthen areas to be incorporated in the proposed Integrated Development Framework Bill.
We appeal that the department finalises the Bill in order to harmonise the planning system of government to deliver the well-coordinated services.
Hon House Chair, the District Development Model, DDM, is another delivery intervention established by the government of the ANC to end silo planning. The model is, indeed, a noble
idea which improves coherence and coordination in planning, implementation and budgeting.
A lot has been achieved through the DDM, especially in the pilot district municipalities.
The monitoring and development tool developed by the department and Statistics SA, StatsSA, should produce monitoring results to measure the efficacy of the model.
The District Development Model should not be a framework for government alone the vision of districts should also shape plans of private sector organisations and business to align with the district economic development trajectory.
House Chair, the District Development Plan consolidates state capability across the three spheres of government to optimise outcomes and impact. This is in line with the creation of a single public service, which is critical to improve the agility of the state.
As the ANC we are pleased that the department has begun to monitor the implementation of the gender-based violence, GBV,
framework. Gender-based violence threatens a person’s physical and psychological integrity.
Everyone has the right to feel safe and secure, and where there is, not present, the people’s ability to function in the family, community and society is likely to be impaired as self-realisation and development are affected.
Monitoring and implementation of the framework will assist the government in minimizing cases of the gender-based violence and femicide, GBVF.
GBV requires all state entities to contribute to solving it. This is so because GBV cases are caused by multiple factors and there’s no silver bullet to solve the problem, it requires all departments, working with the people and various social partners.
Hon House Chair, another key entity in the Presidency is Brand SA, which is an entity tasked with delivering integrated marketing, communication, reputation management solutions and interventions as it markets the South African brand locally and abroad. Its purpose is to develop and implement a
proactive and coordinated international marketing and communication strategy for South Africa to contribute to job creation, poverty reduction and to attract inward investment, trade and tourism.
Since the discussion of the national micro restructuring of government, the entity has been confronted with the plethora of challenges. We are of the view that the major debate should be concluded before the end of the financial year, with providing a clear direction on both entities affected.
House Chair, we call on the Ministry to adopt an interventionist approach as the Ministry in the Presidency. The reports that are submitted to the DPME should serve as a basis to enable the President and Cabinet to respond to matters decisively.
The people want their material condition to change and department has the programmes to, firstly, receive reports form entities and citizens through the presidential hotline.
The department should also be allocated more funds to develop the required capacity to implement their mandate in an impactful manner.
The department should develop intervening capacity to accelerate service delivery where challenges are reported.
Hon Minister, the interventions of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, ERRP, should be a key strategic focus of the department through the sectoral reports.
Various departments should have measurable targets which are primarily focused of intervention of the ERRP.
The ERRP remains a critical programme to recover from the impact of the pandemic.
Lastly, House Chair, our monitoring and evaluation of the ministerial performance and for accounting officers should be strengthened. And such reports should have consequential action. This is important to assert the agents of good performance.
State-owned entities are also critical and we welcome the fact that the entity will be compiling reports on this regard.
The test remains the impact of the monitoring ad evaluation reports. We are confident that the DPME will enable interventions for decisive action in the interest of the people of South Africa.
We thank the Minister, the Deputy Minister, the director- general and the portfolio committee for forging ahead with the task of building our country.
The ANC supports the budget vote of the DPME. I thank you, House Chair. [Applause.]
IsiZulu:
Mnu Z N MBHELE: Ngiyabonga Sihlalo ngaphambili ...
English:
The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation carries the mandate of supporting and facilitating the implementation of the National Development Plan, NDP, co-ordinating planning programmes across government, and monitoring and evaluation to
support the implementation of those programmes. Specifically, as mentioned earlier by the Minister, this is meant to take shape through sector-specific medium-term plans and delivery agreements with national departments, as well as with provincial and local governments.
Key to the achievement of this mandate is a capable state with
the skills and political will to align and drive forward momentum to these ends and overcome the hurdles and sandpits
that stand in the way of realising the developmental
challenges facing our country. However, despite the Minister assurances earlier that things are in process or are in the
pipe line, we all know that a capable state has never been a more elusive possibility than now, and it is astounding that
this government continues to harbour such a lofty fantasy for itself.
And Minister, I must say if you believe that the government is providing an enabling environment for business in the mist of loadshedding, red tape and crumbling infrastructure then I am afraid I must point out that there is only reinforces the fantasy land that this government inhabits.
While the department’s plan speaks to the importance of localisation of interventions, regrettably it falls short of endorsing true and meaningful decentralisation in governance and service delivery matters, which is one of the real and radical reforms needed to enhance performance. And in this
regard, the District Development Model, DDM, is merely a red hearing that will not meet that bench mark.
The DA has long advocated for the principle of
decentralisation, whereby local and provincial governments
that are proven to be competent should be enabled to take the lead role of planning and implementation in areas of
concurrent competence, with the necessary authority of management and resources from national fiscus, in order to
better meet the needs of local communities.
And I am glad that hon Mgweba mentioned everyone’s right to
feel secure and safe because the need for such a 180 shift in the business of government is no more glaring, for example, than when it comes to addressing the scourge of violent crime because we know that when it comes to policing it is well- demonstrated in international best practice that it must be done in a way that is as devolved and as localised as
possible, so that it can be customised closest, and optimally responsive, to the dynamics and context of communities on the ground that law enforcement serves.
The simple fact, Chairperson, is that having only a single
point of planning and implementation when it comes to governance and service delivery also means having a single
point of failure, eg, Eskom. However, well-intentioned and “developmental” things may be on paper. So, if the National
Development Plan is indeed taken seriously by this government,
then it must be given ample and broad opportunity to be pursued in multiple and adaptive ways through a decentralised model.
While the department seeks to support the government’s strategic priorities, it has also admitted to the portfolio
committee that its monitoring and evaluation findings and recommendations on departments are not implemented. But this is not surprising at all given that good governance and compliant management fundamental run counter to the ANC modus operandi of cronyism and cadre deployment.
This systemic sclerosis makes it all the more urgent for the government to get out of the way of progress and much-needed economic development and job creation through a second required wholesale reform of deregulation, so that business and civic stakeholders can play a freer and active role in harnessing our country’s resources and unleashing the massive potential out there to create value that expands opportunities and improves livelihoods.
If the government cannot quickly and effectively fix Eskom, then we say deregulate power generation to allow new players to come in, and for local and provincial governments to innovate through partnerships that can solve the loadshedding crisis. If the government is unable to address unemployment, then deregulate the labour regime and environment of business to remove the barriers and disincentives to labour-intensive industry and other economic activity that can absorb the massive pool of unskilled, and especially inexperienced, surplus labour.
As long as the efforts and outputs of this department, whether in their evaluation reports or supporting both Operation Phakisa and Vulindlela, are not premised on shifting the
government’s gears in the direction of more decentralisation and more deregulation, then our country will, at best, continue being stuck in stagnation, and at worst, be pushed ever more quickly down the path of decline. Thank you, Chair. [Applause.]
Ms R N KOMANE: Chair, let us first greet the commander-in- chief and the President of the EFF, President Julius Malema, the officials of the EFF and commissars at the ground forces.
Chairperson, the 2023 budget debate takes place while we are celebrating 10 years since the formation of the EFF. We are celebrating 10 years of unbroken commitment to fighting for service delivery. We are celebrating 10 years of holding the executive accountable and notary service delivery in all spheres of government unlike the old cronies that are not delivering. [Applause.] The EFF is the only political party since our arrival in Parliament in 2014. That says there is no panic in government. People just wake up in the morning and do as they wish.
Chair, when Mr Ramaphosa announced in his first Cabinet in 2019 and did away with the Ministry of Planning, Monitoring
and Evaluation we welcome the decision. But we see now how Mr Ramaphosa want white people who helped him secured his second term in the ANC’s squabbles. The Ministry has been brought back. We sat there, there is no monitoring of service delivery. And that’s why it will take 20 years to give people of Giyani water. Despite ANC President visiting Giyani and promising the people of Giyani water. We said that there is no evaluation of government programmes to ensure that the department do what they plan.
According to the budget allocated our people indeed are receiving services. This is why we said in 2014, we must close this department. We said there is no need to have a Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. The reality is that, Chair, with and without the Ministry of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Mr Ramaphosa government has no capacity to plan, monitoring and evaluating any work.
The National Development Plan has failed because it was based on foolish assumptions. The so-called Presidential Hotline has failed because it was just another tender for some cronies in the ruling party. Instead of taking charge of his Cabinet, Mr Ramaphosa is busy centralising Ministries and departments in
his office. Soon, he will end up with two parallel Cabinets. In fact, we are already there. [Interjections.] And that’s why they don’t make you a Minister. You will always remain a Deputy Minister.
As things stands, there are no engagement between national and provincial government, state-owned entities and municipalities. We went to the Northern Cape and the Free State for oversight and it is clear that there is a crisis of leadership and is happening under the ANC government. And the sooner we vote them out the better, so that we can deliver better services to our people.
Chairperson, this is what needs to happen: We need to do away with this Ministry as a start. We were correct since 2014. We were correct in 2019. And we are still correct even today.
People are crying for Ministries. We need to do away with the so-called National Development Plan and work on a plan that is centred on building the state and government capacity in order to avoid the tenders. This NDP is not working, and you know for a fact, and you won’t argue about it.
We need to reduce the number of Ministries because we still have Ministries that are not adding value like the so-called Deputy Ministers. They are only used to make squabbles inside the ruling party. We must go back to one Ministry for Education. We must combine Social Development and Health. We must combine Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Chair. We don’t need a Ministry for Small Business and Development. This department should be a unit in Trade, Industry and Competition and should be at the centre of South Africa’s industrial policy.
Lastly, Chairperson, as I conclude, we had agreed that there is no significant role that the Deputy Ministers, who are making noise here are playing. [Interjections] We must do away with all Deputy Ministers. These people cannot even act in the absence of the Cabinet members. We don’t need Deputy Ministers. [Interjections.] They are just a waste of the state resources. [Interjections.] The EFF reject the proposed budget for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. There is no reason, Chair, why this Ministers must exist. We need to have a department that is taking our government serious and our public. We need to have government that takes services to the
people. We need to reduce irregular expenditures by the so- called government.
Only if we can have the proper government that will give water to the people of Giyani, that will make sure that potholes are eradicated in the whole county. And we must do away with all these Deputy Ministers. Thank you very much.
IsiZulu:
Mnu N SINGH: Hhayi Gabhise thula umsindo ...
English:
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon Paulsen. Just calm down.
Mr N SINGH: Firstly, let me say that I don’t serve on this committee so I will be sharing some views of the IFP and some views that I have gathered over the last 10, 12 or 13 years.
Firstly, hon Minister, I must appreciate the enthusiasm with which you approach the work of this department and hearing you speak today gives us hope. However, is hope going to meet the
aspirations of the millions of people in South Africa? I think that is the question.
Hon Minister, I was ... Hey, Western Cape! Hon Minister, I was very honoured to serve on this committee, I think in 2010, when it was first established and we’ve been having discussions about the creation of a Department of performance, Monitoring and Evaluation since then.
I think it’s important for us to go back into the genesis of this particular department. The department was created ... I come from KwaZulu-Natal and you are already heckling here. The department was first created by former President Jacob Zuma in response to public protests and outcries about service delivery, and it was created so that this department would monitor and evaluate the performance of all other government departments so that the people of South Africa could get the kind of service delivery that they should be getting.
Now, I think the question that we have to ask ourselves is whether in the last 10 or 12 years we have improved to that extent that this department was able to do its work effectively and efficiently. The challenges that we had then
still exist today, hon Minister, and one of the big challenges when this department was created was turf wars and turf protection, where no department wanted this department coming from the top wielding a big stick against them, and measuring their performance and evaluating their service delivery. I think that exists even today and that is going to be your challenge, hon Minister. Your work is cut out for you in ensuring that all government departments and state-owned entities, SOEs, appreciate the work that your department has been entrusted with by the Presidency.
If we look at our SOEs, can we say that in the last 10 to
12 years that their performance has improved? The answer is no. If we look at our rail services that you spoke about, it is collapsing. If we look at transport ... I mean, I drive to Ulundi quite often and the one day in a distance of about
20 kilometres I uncounted 300 trucks laden with coal and other products going to Richards Bay. That was because the rail system had collapsed. So, I think that if the Presidency is serious about this department, you must crack the whip on these things. He must give you the power to crack the whip. That is what is needed.
Hon Minister, the other historical fact is that when I was an MEC in KwaZulu-Natal from 1997 or so, we started a model called ... It wasn’t called a District Development Model, DDM. It was called regional something. My memory ... So, the DDM is not something new that has come brand new out of the box. It has been there but it is how we implement the DDM that is going to be important. There are many instances where we found then, and I think you will also find now, that if the Department of ... Education is building a school somewhere, you will find the Department of Transport building a road in the opposite direction. Now, these are the kinds of things ... I always said, hon Minister, that what you should have — and I don’t know, you may have that because I’m not involved with this department — is a war room; a war room as big as this, where by the touch of a button you can see exactly what is happening all over the country in terms of schools, in terms of water, in terms of electricity, in terms of roads. Press the button and you’ll know what is happening, and if it doesn’t come together, press new buttons and make it happen.
Hon Minister, in terms of the executive, the only way we see the President changing his executive is not because they don’t perform but it’s because of political reasons. I think the
President has got to be serious now about looking at the performance of our executive, rather than just looking at the politics of it and changing people.
If some of these things are done, I think, you know, that your department has a very, very important role to play; a co- ordinating role because they say, if you fail to plan you are planning to fail. Please don’t fail us. We will support this budget. Thank you very much.
Mr W W WESSELS: House Chair, this department should play a guiding role in government’s long-term planning, strategic planning and annual performance plans, APPs. However, we see
... [Inaudible.] ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Wessels, can you just take a seat. You don’t have a seat there. Yes, hon member, why are you rising?
An HON MEMBER: Hon Paulsen just screamed an unparliamentary thing to me, insulting me from where he is sitting. The Speaker actually made a ruling about what he said. So, there
was a ruling made by the Speaker in the Good Hope Chamber with regard to what he said. Now, he makes that insult ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): What is it because I didn’t hear. There was shouting.
Mr M N PAULSEN: {Inaudible.] ... hopeless.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): No, I’m not talking to you. I’ve not recognised you. Yes, hon member?
An HON MEMBER: The ruling was made after their leader insulted me, saying that I am hopeless and useless.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you, hon member. Hon member, you cannot reflect on the integrity and character of a member like that. You must withdraw it.
Mr M N PAULSEN: So, I must never say the word hopeless.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, I am asking you to withdraw what you said. You are reflecting on the character of the member.
Mr M N PAULSEN: I just said the word hopeless. If he ... [Inaudible.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, are you going to withdraw it or not?
Mr M N PAULSEN: No.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Then you must leave the Chamber. Thank you.
An HON MEMBER: Thanks for going.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): No, hon Deputy Minister, I’ve not recognised you. Hon Paulsen is leaving the Chamber. Thank you. Please continue, hon Wessels.
Mr W W WESSELS: ... and planning and evaluation, and that is why a lot of APPs are misaligned, and we see that in most reports. However, the question is why is this happening? There is no need for some other kind of mechanism, hon member. What does the executive do? What does the Leader of Government Business do? What does the President do to ensure that
departments stick to what is agreed upon and what is recommended to align the APPs?
The department has to play a role to lead the implementation of the National Development Plan, NDP. Let's just remember that the NDP was adopted by Cabinet in 2012. That's 11 years ago. We now hear that we're not going to reach the targets by 2030 and we hear the excuse of COVID-19 being given. However, eight years went by before COVID-19 and in those eight years there was no progress made. There was no implementation.
The NDP's purpose is to eliminate poverty, create jobs and reduce inequality by 2030, but currently more than half of South Africans live below the upper-bottom poverty line. A quarter of South Africans live below the food poverty line, while 42% of South Africans are unemployed, according to the broad definition.
Afrikaans:
Dan praat die Minister van die professionalisering van die Staatsdiens. Ek kan dit nie verstaan nie. Hoekom is daar 'n raamwerk vir die professionalisering van die Staatsdiens nodig? Wat is daardie raamwerk? Kom ons gaan lees die
bewoording. Dit sê 'n raamwerk wat daargestel moet word sodat bevoegde amptenare aangestel word. Hoekom is dit in die eerste plek nie gedoen nie? Kom ek sê vir u hoekom. Dit is weens kaderontplooiing. Dit is hoekom onbevoegde amptenare op alle vlakke van regering aangestel is; mense wat nie vir die poste geskik is nie. Hulle is nie op verdienste aangestel nie. Hulle is aangestel weens hul politieke bande en daarom val dienslewering uitmekaar. Daarom is die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan ook net 'n droom en word dit nie 'n werklikheid nie.
Die agb Mbhele is korrek dat die staat in die pad staan van werklike ontwikkeling, vooruitgang en ekonomiese groei. Die staat rem dit deur swak dienslewering, deur korrupsie, deur staatskaping toe te laat, deur staatsinstellings wat totale swart gate is wat belastinggeld opvreet en wat maak dat die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan, wat as ons net na infrastruktuur gaan kyk, ses biljoen — die Afrikaanse biljoen ... Engels is dit trillion — nodig het om aan die doelwit van 2030 te voldoen, wat infrastruktuur betref.
English:
However, the Minister is correct that we need a smaller Cabinet, but I hope that the recommendation from her department will be to get rid of her department ... [Interjections.] ... because that will be the first step in the right direction. Hon Deputy Minister, each department must do its own planning and monitoring, and Cabinet should play the role of co-ordinating and Cabinet should play the role of evaluating. Cabinet should play that role and the President should play that role. You do not need a department to do that.
We need a smaller Cabinet. Currently, Brand SA has an impossible task to promote a complete mess — load-shedding, economic recession, a government that fails and actually a failed state. However, although the ANC is hopeless, the country is not. There's a lot of hope in this country because we have wonderful people with an abundance of potential, and without the ANC there is hope for a better future, there is hope to eliminate poverty and to get rid of inequality. I thank you. [Interjections.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING
AND EVALUATION (Ms P S Kekana): Thank you very much, hon House
Chair; the Deputy Chief Whip; the acting chairperson of the portfolio committee, hon Mgweba, members of the portfolio committee who are here, hon Minister in the Presidency for the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, DPME , hon Ramokgopa; the director-general and your team; Members of Parliament; distinguished guests; members of the media and fellow South Africans.
Hon Chairperson, we thank you for this opportunity to present the Budget Vote of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, DPME, together with our Minister South Africa reimagined as an equality-centric, prosperous nation, is the goal for the three spheres of government and its entities, requiring a resolute mandate ... [Inaudible.] ... the continent’s blueprint – Agenda 2063, and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.
The National Development Plan, NDP, is aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063, that is why we cannot get rid of it. Therefore, achieving the National Development Plan goals also achieves the continental and global goals. To this end, the National Development Plan is being reviewed by the National Planning Commission with a
critical focus on three cross-cutting areas: Firstly, the stubborn poverty levels of 40% of the population which all of us agrees to; the increasing income-related inequality which is glaring; and the ragingly high unemployment levels.
South Africa’s Gini coefficient of 0,69 puts us at the top of the highly unequal category, clearly indicating that our development trajectory is not on course. For this reason, the National Planning Commission has called for improved co- ordination of the National Development Plan’s implementation, specifically better planning and collaboration - the national planning for that matter - optimising a partnership culture between government, private sector and civil society. Our responsibility as the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation is to ensure that government’s developmental plans, implementation mechanisms and most importantly, our performance must be obligatory to all South Africans.
Last week I addressed the Presidential Hotline public liaison officers, PLOs, forum and in the spur-of-the-moment I asked them to stand and pledge a commitment of delivery to the first commitment being, I quote: “I commit in thought, word and deed to show our people that government is firmly committed to
improving the quality of our people’s lives.” The full pledge is on the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation website, but the hugely emotional response with real tears wept by the public liaison officers, reaffirmed to me that the majority of people in this government and in this administration puts the lives and livelihoods of our people first!
Last year we spoke of the successes from the social compact approach when faced with the flood disasters in parts of the country. This year, I am here to report on the gaps closed from a system’s planning and monitoring perspective using this same model of social compact and partnership. So, Minister, this department is going nowhere. As an example, the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation works closely with the Tswaing Local Municipality, the North West Premier’s Office, relevant national departments and business community for the Deelpan Village.
The task team, chaired by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation has created significant impact, with access to schools restored; roads graded to facilitate movement and land for the development of 104 residential sites
... [Interjections.] ... you are not listening, there were disasters - inclusive of four supporting social sites, a crèche, businesses and a park. The required relocation of the Deelpan Village is due to it being originally located on a wetland which is unsafe for human settlement and compromising environmental sustainability. You are in trouble if you ignore our people.
Similarly, the Driftsands informal settlement is located around the Cape Nature Reserve’s wetlands and dam walls, and therefore, we are happy to report that the Intlungu YaseMatyotyombeni Movement, a group of community activists representing the dwellers, with the national and provincial Department of Human Settlements and the City of Cape Town have resulted in an inprinciple agreement for relocation. These are just two examples of where we can show that when people are in disaster together with line departments, we are able to come
... [Inaudible.] ... We will report to them all those things
...
Afrikaans:
... wag ...
English:
... don’t worry. Hon Chair, we have also institutionalised this social compact model in our frontline monitoring efforts. In applying this proven methodology, we have established the undeniable dependency our frontline monitoring efforts have on partner participation.
We are proud also to report that the Atlantis Special Economic Zone, is one of the Special Economic Zones, SEZs, that is doing well based here and getting an approval of the 3D- application by the Minister of Finance is one of the steps in the right direction. With its Green Tech theme, the Atlantis Special Economic Zone is a unique Special Economic Zone that appeals to investors in green tech manufacturing and is positioned as a cutting-edge destination for manufacturers wanting to supply their technologies to independent power producers bidding to the national government renewable energy programme, there is an intervention. Our Special Economic Zone are happy. We are responding to the electricity crisis. ...
[Interjections.] ... Listen! We will teach you.
We are proud to report that we have increased in the past year, a significant increase year on year. What has the impact
been? In the interest of time, I will give you just some of the highlights: A total of 157 schools were monitored under the Sanitation Appropriate for Education Initiative; 146 clinics monitored under ideal clinic programme; 23 informal settlements monitored in the Western Cape ... [Interjections.]
...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): ... order, hon members
...
The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING
AND EVALUATION (Ms P S Kekana): ... 23 executive oversight monitoring visits by political principals in the Presidency were undertaken which covered the Special Economic Zones; gender-based violence and femicide hotspots and many other things. We are hard at work. ... [Inaudible.] ... because after all, we are in this together. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
IsiXhosa:
Nksz S T MANELI: Liza kubongwa.
English:
Hon Chairperson, the Deputy Chief Whip, Minister, Deputy Minister, members of the committee and fellow South Africans. All nations that have significantly reduced poverty have a capable developmental state which has the capability to lead economic, social and political development. Part of developing a capable developmental state is the centrality of planning.
Planning needs to be co-ordinated centrally in order to ensure state against ... [Inaudible] ... to our national agenda, which is encapsulated in the National Development Plan and the Medium-Term Strategic Framework.
Developmental states should have sufficient capacity to ... [Inaudible] ... social and economic development to meet the nation’s aspirations through the state planning, regulation and participation in implementation of socioeconomic and political imperatives. The Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation plays a critical role in ensuring that the state has a systematic way of functioning. To avoid ... [Inaudible] ... in the Presidency is capacitated to ... [Inaudible] ... and evaluate.
The central object of the Presidency is to have government policy implementation, realising the outcomes and impact
envisaged. This is critical premise as a part of the theory of change. All these key objectives require us as Parliament to continuously assess, and ... [Inaudible] ... that the funds we appropriate to departments will bring about the change for the child that is born in a family without a sustainable household income, without medical aid, for a household who never had a graduate in their family because of poverty, for the graduate looking for opportunities to acquire the skills they require to participate in the mainstream economy, for the elderly without an income or support, for the orphan to get shelter and care and for the entrepreneur who contributes to building our economy and creating much needed jobs.
The funds that we appropriate should make an impact in the lives of all South Africans, particularly the poor and vulnerable. As the ANC, we have prioritised monitoring and evaluation as a critical function, which requires our strategic focus. We do so due to the understanding that, it is a function we can use as a tool to accelerate implementation of various government programmes. As the ANC we have emphasised the importance of improving planning and reporting which enables effective oversight by the Executive and Parliament, and you know that we do that hon member.
In order to ensure interventions are undertaken by the Executive or Parliament, the quality of information reported and the performance indicators used, are the critical source of measuring the process and level of performance. House Chair, in our continuous engagements with the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and the Auditor-General, we have called for a focus on performance indicators which focus on outcomes and impact. In the current state of affairs, the Auditor-General has raised the problem of 74% of the 244 municipalities that prepared performance reports submitted which reflected poor quality performance reports for auditing, and that most municipalities did not have adequate system to collate and report on their performance information.
At a national and provincial level, the Auditor-General in South Africa reported that 60% of the auditees submitted poor quality performance report for auditing. Fourteen key service delivery departments which is 36%, got it right. This hon Minister speaks to the legislative authority of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, DPME and the Treasury to enforce compliance with performance information standard.
These weaknesses lead to an inability to assess the quality of expenditure. This is an aspect that requires heightened focus
if we are to improve the quality of performance information reported, if we are to enhance the agility of the President to oversight structures and Parliament. We must ensure compliance with governance prescripts and the standards that are set.
House Chair ... [Inaudible] ... intended outcomes and impact. Another key area is on the alignment of the Medium-Term Strategic Framework that ... [Inaudible] ... in planning by the departments to ensure they are included as performance indicators. Multiple reports and observations by the department have reflected a lack of consistency, with the inclusion of Medium-Term Strategic Framework, MTSF targets in the departmental plans for tracking efficiency. We call on the departments to ensure that inconsistencies are addressed to ensure continuous monitoring of the five-year plan of the Sixth Administration. The District Development Planning will enhance planning in government through strengthening intergovernmental relations.
The localisation of MTSF targets is critical to enhance the impact of policy priorities of the Sixth Administration. We welcome the process of developing the District Development Mode, DDM specific indicators working with the Statistics SA.
So, the old cronies are indeed delivering. [Applause] The District Development Model indicators will enhance a co- ordinated approach from the three spheres of government. We believe that the DDM champions who have assigned to different districts should have clear guidelines of executing their role to enhance their effectiveness.
Conducting research and ensuring that the department has sufficient capacity to conduct rigorous research and critique the analysis of reports received by the DPME, is central in ensuring that the department adds value in the ecosystem of planning, monitoring and evaluation. Through research, we need to ascertain whether targets set by the departments are linked to the financial resources allocated, and to ensure credible targeting as opposed to targets which are its minimum level of performance.
We call on the department to work with Statistics SA to help build the capacity in government to measure the outcome and impact in the various sectors. The ANC is confident that the newly appointed Minister in the Presidency hon Maropene Ramokgopa will be able to increase the impact of the department ... [Interjections] ... and also to ensure that our
commitment to the people as the ANC is realised. The people of South Africa want to experience progress by an ethical, capable developmental state, which places their interests first. [Interjections]
IsiXhosa:
Ikhona mama uKhawula.
English:
It is these reasons that the Sixth Administration has placed a capable, ethical and developmental state as priority number one, as a critical instrument of socioeconomic transformation. Hon House Chair ...
IsiXhosa:
... abantu baseMzantsi Afrika basenalo ithemba kumbutho wabantu. [Uwele-wele][Kwaqhwatywa] Kungoko basezakuqhuba bewuvotela. Abo bacinga ukuba bangenza utshintsho, kuza kufuneka basebenze kakhulu ukuze kulo nyaka uzayo baphumelele ukuze benze olo tshintsho balufunayo. Okwangoku i-ANC isekulawulo kwaye yenza ngohlobo ebona lubasebenzela abantu baseMzantsi Afrika.
English:
Thank you.
Mr J J McGLUWA: House Chairperson, President Ramaphosa has referred to 2008 to 2018 as being a lost decade. There is no difference between former President Jacob Zuma’s nine wasted years and his failed presidency.
The late Desmond Tutu said that the ANC was worse than the apartheid. This budget vote is characterised by an imperial system, abusing executive powers to cover up corruption. Since 1999, there has been no oversight committee on this Presidency. It undermines the Constitution and leads to the abuse of power.
Just like Lady R, Minister Ntshavheni is now docked at the presidential aquatics centre to protect the President at all costs.
In 1994 we had a wonder President – today we wonder whether we even have a President. Allow me to summarise the regime, or rather period of systematic looting that has taken place under this Presidency. I dub it - the imperial Presidency.
To show how bad things really are, former Minister in the Presidency, Trevor Manuel, resigned from the ANC because the party, and I quote, “lost its moral leadership since the events post-Polokwane in 2007 already”.
The Minister of coal, Gwede Mantashe called Manuel a free agent, after he asked former Jacob Zuma to pay back the money for Nkandla. Let us never forget the fire pool!
There have been five reshuffles in the Presidency since President Ramaphosa’s tenure. There were Minister
Dlamini-Zuma, the late Minister Mthembu, may his soul rest in peace, Minister Ntshavheni and Minister Gungubele. Then there’s a Minister in the Presidency of this and the Minister of that. But it can tell you today hon members that Minister Gungubele and Ntshaveni and many others are being changed like under wears in the Presidency. Typical characteristics of an imperial President and a confusing state of affairs.
The Presidency was alleged to have developed a framework to ensure that the recommendations of the Zondo Commission are implemented. To date the imperial Presidency has done nothing of the sorts.
Even the ANC’s step aside resolution is only for a selected few, former State Security Minister Bongo, has been removed from his position. Former Minister Zwane better known as the Minister of the Guptas; they have dealt with him. Ace Magashule is gone, the rest continue as business as usual.
The Presidency is running scared on the ropes from some of the Zondo Commission’s recommendations. Even House Chairperson hon Frolick is believed to have received cash for setting up a meeting with Bosasa and former ANC member, Vincent Smith. It was said there were reasonable grounds to uncover prima facie evidence of money laundering, corruption and fraud, and it has been recommended by Zondo Commission, that Cedric Frolick be investigated - yet no investigation has been considered.
The Zondo Commission recommended that President Ramaphosa consider the position of Zizi Kodwa as Deputy Minister of the State Security because of his tainted relationship with the controversial businessman, allegedly funded his luxury holidays, including a loan of R1,7 million, on his own version, this was a debt that he could not even pay back, but he wants to go on a holiday. Instead of punishment, this
imperial Presidency rewarded Mr Kodwa with the position of Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.
The former Minister of Defence and Military Veterans was removed during a Cabinet reshuffle following a spree of deadly unrest and looting in parts of this country. She came under fire because of incompetence and the way she responded to the violence, contradicting the President’s claim that these events had been a pre-planned “insurrection”.
Let us gaze into the Presidency’s role during the
KwaZulu-Natal, KZN riots. There were clear warnings. They could feel it in their own midriffs. They knew what was about to come. No, they were lurking around in their gloomy offices.
You see House Chairperson, it’s a question of you spill the beans, we will spill the beans. So, therefore it is important that members such as Morgan Dirk, Zwane, Zweli Mkhize, Supra Mahumapelo, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma should not be scared to tell us what is loaded on the boat on that offshore there.
They were no evidence of Ramaphosa giving directives to the Minister of Defence, but enough evidence of clear differences
between Minister Bheki and former National Police Commissioner, Mr Sithole.
Everyone acted as they wish, imagine a former Minister, become a taxi, faring ANC officials including a suspended Ace Magashule and Finance Minister, Godongwana to Zimbabwe, this Presidency has done absolutely nothing, towards that. Today, she has been appointed the ... [Inaudible.] ... of this House. Programme 3 speaks about ... [Inaudible.] ... reports and effective implementation, surely when it comes to ethics, special intervention was needed here by this Presidency.
The Presidency has even failed to ensure the merger between Brand South Africa and Tourism. They had no clue about the billion Rand sponsorship to Spurs and the R22 million foolish flagpole idea.
And all of these is a tip of the very large corruption infested iceberg. Let me give you a signal ANC, the DA’s
moon-shot election has arrived. I thank you House Chairperson.
The CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon members, I now recognise hon M M Ntuli. Over to you, mam. Hon Ntuli before
you start, you’ve got 12 minutes left from hon Mgweba, so you have more extra two minutes.
Ms M M NTULI: Hon Chairperson, Minister Ramokgopa, Deputy Minister Kekana, Ndlovukazi, Director-General Nkuna and the team, distinguished guests, hon members and the house at large, can I quickly correct the things that are really, really, taking a detour. Hon McGluwa, you really spoke like exempted people, they spoke like you. You don’t know apartheid, wait until I orientate you about apartheid so that you know what is apartheid. Hon McGluwa, you come here and became the advocate for the removals. Mind your business, sir. [Applause.] You failed the debate.
Hon Mbhele, load shedding is a national crisis issue and it is not lying or fallacy. The President of this country, hon President Matamela Ramaphosa intervened. He appointed the Electricity Minister, that is an intervention that he has done, and it is not only affecting certain corners and leaving other corners, it is affecting the entire country. When all is said and done, the ANC will overcome this as long as the ANC is still in power. We will overcome this.
Hon Mbhele, the DDM is one of the most innovation this department has initiated and with this initiation, each and every district has got a Deputy Minister deployed to look after everything holistically at once. We do not have local government, we are now integrated as this government and including water hon Komane. [Interjections.] Wait and see, this DDM is coming on board and there is a light at the of the tunnel. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. [Interjections.] Wait and see. We need the Deputy Ministers at all costs.
The CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Ntuli! Hon members, I urge that you be mindful that the room is small when you heckle then it drowns the speaker. She tends to be not audible. It is just an appeal, you can heckle. No, I still put an order to the House and now you are engaging with me indirectly. [Interjections.] You will go out, mam. Hon Ntuli allow me to address hon Khawula. Hon Khawula, if you do not like to be part of this debate, you are welcome to leave the room. Thank you very much. You may proceed, hon Ntuli.
Ms M M NTULI: Thank you, hon Chairperson. We need the Deputy Ministers at all costs. They are playing a pivotal role, they
are all over the country as the promise of the ANC to serve the country, and the people of South Africa.
Afrikaans:
Agbare Wessel bly still, meneer. Luister.
English:
Chairperson, the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation has a mammoth task on strategic and tactical measures for the determination of goals and objectives in our government. It must also safeguard and evaluate all systems to ensure success in government framework. It is also imperative for any layout to be scrutinised timeously. John Wiegand once wrote:
Proper and effective planning means that not only is process to ensure that the project team is quickly made aware of any issues that can compromise success but also that there is a system in place to quickly resolve them. The ability for these processes and systems to identify and resolve issues must be continually measured and evaluated.
So as this Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, the National Development Plan 2030 has been accepted by the broad spectrum of our society. It is a plan that represent our aspiration, as a nation. South Africa belongs to all its people and the future of our country it’s our collective future, making it work is our collective responsibility. All South African seek a better future for themselves and their children. It is not a plan for government only, we must all join hands. It is a plan of the people, it is a plan of the Public Service and it is a plan for the private sector. This understanding and appreciation is fundamental for all South Africans to understand their role in the National Development Plan. For young scholars, the NDP assists them to align their career trajectory with areas the nation has prioritised. For entrepreneurs, the NDP indicates areas of economic development which require innovation and investment. For the Public Service, the NDP is an instructive policy trajectory. We must also recognise that all political parties in the National Assembly in 2012 supported the NDP ... [Interjections.] ... as our national vision. Therefore, we should all contribute to its realisation.
IsiZulu:
AMALUNGU e-EFF: Ungasifaki lapho.
Ms M M NTULI: Where were you? Recognising that the NDP was adopted 11 years later. Our country has been confronted with several challenges and several successes in areas of social and economic development. Some of these impacted badly the capacity of implementing programmes in critical sections of the economy such as energy, transport.
IsiZulu:
Niyezwa. [Ubuwelewele.] Anizwanga ngoba saphazanyiswa ...
English:
... and various services. This has derailed the progress of attaining key NDP targets. This has negatively impacted job creation efforts. Indeed, unemployment remains a thorn to our programme of social transformation. Unemployment is at an alarming level whilst poverty is still ravaging the country packed with inequality. The DPME should not only confine its focus on government implementation, it must transcend to various sectors social combats undertaken by government should be a strategic focus in order to mobilise society behind the programme of social transformation.
In the other front we have expanded access to higher education and implemented interventions to improve basic education learning outcomes. The ANC government has increased skills development opportunities for the youth. [Interjections.]
We are continuously building new human settlement development and expanding access to water and also taking measures to safety and security. All these national development imperatives require all South Africans to join hands. Join hands good people and advance these objectives in our communities, workplace and broadly in society. Our country has been recently disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and both the public and the public sector took a hard hit and as a result. We are implementing the economic development reconstruction and recovery plan. Reconstruction also provides an opportunity to develop approaches which expedite the transformation of our economy and to adopt new innovations.
Digitalisation and artificial intelligence contributed to enhance and accelerate policy implementation. [Interjections.]
Where the targets are in-some-mountable we ought to project an attainable target and ensure we direct resources to support
relevant programmes. A critical area which directly impacts the people are frontline services that are provided by government and we need to improve these services and empower public servants in this regard. The Presidential hotline is an important initiative which should be strengthened to ensure all matters reported by citizens are rapidly referred to the relevant departments and municipalities or state entities to address the concerns of the people. We are of the view that this initiative requires further capacitation as its weakness gives a negative impression on the presidency. Intervention through the Presidential Hotline need to be in a size and responded to by relevant state organs with agility.
House Chairperson, this department requires more resources to increase its technical capacity in order to undertake some of the complex tasks asserting the quality of expenditure and the outcomes and impact of government programmes. The location of the department in the presidency plays a pivotal role to empower the President and Cabinet to respond to multiple reports for interventions, to improve the performance of the state.
In conclusion, Chairperson, we welcome DPME’s innovations and will always play oversight to ensure that the department is on the right track in terms of its performance and that our communities are served diligently. [Interjections.] I thank you, Chairperson. The ANC supports this budget vote and the ANC ...
IsiZulu:
... isazoqhubeka, isazophatha.
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR PLANNING, MONITORING AND
EVALUATION (Ms M L Ramokgopa): Thank you very much to all those that have contributed meaningfully to the debate and also contributed to what needs to be done. I don’t think that criticism that is constructive is wrong because at least it helps us to improve so that there can be better understanding and appreciation of what we do. So, we are grateful for that.
However, it is really disappointing to realise that some did come here but spoke nothing. It’s very disappointing, but it’s okay. We are here and we will make sure that what we do can speak for itself so that we can now have an appreciation of
what the departments are there for. Having said that, let me not take too much time because I only have five minutes.
Over the medium term, government have dedicated 59,2% of the consolidated non?interest spending to health, education, housing, social protection, transport, employment, and local amenities. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the Social Relief of Distress grant, which is called the SRD, of 350 has reached around 7,8 million people in the country. The intervention forms part of the ongoing process aimed at introducing the basic income support for the most vulnerable.
Our government wants our citizens to feel. It is for this reason that we do celebrate and welcome the enlistment of over
10 358 new SAPS recruits during the 2022-23 financial year, against the target of 10 000 that was given. We are saying this precisely because we have heard what the hon members have said about crime. This will ensure that do we speak to the issues of improving the Detective Service, Crime Intelligence, and public order. And I do believe that visible policing will make our citizens feel much safer.
We are also going to support the Department of Police to ensure that the 10111-call centre does get activated as it should and do what it’s supposed to do. In terms of the District Development Model, DDM, we have developed guidelines for the localisation of government plans in the context of the DDM which have been piloted and integrated as part of the National School of Government and training on the DDM. Maybe, hon Chairperson, we need to include hon members in the National School of Government and training so that they can now have a better appreciation of what DDM is all about.
Integrated planning at a district level requires government institutions and sectors to be more effective in their spatial planning. This is important considering the diverse district profiles and needs, as well as ensuring greater synergies and impact in local communities, towns, districts, and metropolitan areas. Therefore, it becomes important that we do appreciate what is done, most especially if it is moving the needle within service delivery. It is not only the responsibility of government, but it is also the responsibility of everyone that has been elected. Everyone that has been given an opportunity to serve our nation. To
play a role and also come up with ways that should be able to move the needle.
Our country continues to contribute to the rapid infrastructure development in Africa. Our President Ramaphosa is the co-ordinating champion and currently leads the Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative, PICI, in which I support as the Minister. The PICI aims to accelerate regional infrastructure development through a political championing of projects. South Africa is leading four projects namely, Beitbridge Border Post, Grand Inga Hydropower Project, Lesotho Highlands Water Project, which is giving us water, and making South Africa the hub of manufacture and supply of rail stock for Africa in accordance with the African Union, AU.
In conclusion, as I close, I would like to thank the House for giving us this opportunity to be here. But also, to thank the Deputy Minister and the Director General in making sure that at least we do what we are supposed to do. We will be putting in place and placing to Cabinet the 30-year-review that we are going to be looking at the 30 years of democracy that we have had in South Africa. But we are also going to continue to support the National Planning Commission to ensure that
planning becomes a strategic service delivery to our people. But we will do it with diligence and with pride and we are not going to apologise for that. So, thank you very much House Chair, and thank you for the opportunity to come and speak to you. [Applause.]
The CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Thank you. Hon members, we are reminded that the debate on Correctional Services Budget Vote will take place at the Good Hope Chamber. That concludes the business of the day, and the mini plenary is adjourned.
Debate concluded.
The mini-plenary session rose at 15:56.
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