ATC200605: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration on the Strategic Plan 2019/20—2023/24, Annual Performance Plans (Apps) 2020/21 And The Budget Vote 9 of the Department Of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Dated 27 May 2020

Public Service and Administration

REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN 2019/20—2023/24, ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLANS (APPS) 2020/21 AND THE BUDGET VOTE 9 OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION, DATED 27 MAY 2020

 

1. BACKGROUND

The Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration(hereinafter referred to as the Portfolio Committee) having considered directive of the National Assembly to consider and report on the Strategic Plans, Annual Performance Plans and Budget allocations of the Department of Planning, Monitoringand Evaluation (DPME) and Brand South Africatabled by the Minister in the Presidency for Planning Monitoring and Evaluation in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (Act No 32 of 2003), reports as follows:

1. INTRODUCTION

Parliament plays an important role in overseeing planning and performance of government departments and public entities as well as Chapter 9 and 10 institutions. The Public Finance Management Act, section 27 stipulates that the Minister must table the annual budget for a financial year in the National Assembly before the start of the financial year. Subsequent to that the Money Bills Amendment Procedures and Related Matters Act, No 9 of 2009, section 10 (1) (c) clearly stipulates that the relevant members of Cabinet must table updated strategic plan and annual performance plan for each department, public entity or institution, which must be referred to the relevant Committee for consideration and reporting.

In considering the strategic and annual performance plans, the Committee ensured that the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and Brand South Africa plans and budget allocationsare in line with Medium Term Strategic Plan 2019/24. Budget allocation serves as a key instrument for government to promote socio-economic development. Budget allocation plays a critical role as an economic instrument of the government to reflect on the country’s socio-economic policy priorities by translating priorities and political commitments into expenditures. Budget serves as a vital tool to operationalise government activities towards the achievement of its intended priorities. Furthermore, the budget highlights the constraints and trade-offs in policy choices.

On 08th May 2020, the Committee considered presentation on the Strategic and Annual Performance Plans and budget allocation of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and Brand South Africa. This report summarises the presentations received from the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and Brand South Africa, focusing on the 2019/24 Strategic Plans and 2020/21 Annual Performance Plans and Budget as well as allocations over the MTEF.

 

1. OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING MONITORING AND EVALUATION

The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation plays a direct, guiding role in government’s long term planning, strategic planning and annual performance planning. This role requires providing evidence-based input on cross-cutting issues that have long term implications for development. The Department’srole is to lead the development of the NDP 5-year Implementation Plan to provide a medium term roadmap which will inform the basis for developing 5-Year departmental plans that will guide the realisation of the NDP priorities. Development of NDP-5 YearImplementation Plan will serve as a monitoring framework linked to the Programme of Action reporting system

The purpose of the NDP 5-Year Implementation Plan is to advance and guide medium and short-term planning that is responsive to the attainment of the NDP priorities leading to 2030. The NDP 5-Year Implementation Plan will allow for the coordination and alignment of priorities across the spheres of government and non-government stakeholders and assist in integrating all components of national development into mainstream planning processes.

 

1. LEGISLATIVE MANDATE

The mandate of the Department is derived from Section 85(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa which stipulate that “the President exercises the executive authority, together with the other members of the Cabinet, by (b) developing and implementing national policy and (c) coordinating the functions of state departments and administration. Based on the Constitutional mandate embedded in section 85(2), the following are the key mandates of the DPME:

• Supporting the National Planning Commission.
• Facilitating the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP) through the development of sector specific and outcome‐specific medium-term plans and delivery agreements, and monitoring and evaluating the implementation of these plans.
• Ensuring the alignment of departmental strategic and annual plans and budget allocations with government’s medium-term strategic framework.
• Monitoring the performance of individual national and provincial government departments and municipalities, and facilitating targeted intervention programmes.
• Monitoring frontline service delivery and managing the Presidential Hotline.
• Developing and implementing the annual national evaluations plan and supporting the national evaluations system; and
• Promoting good planning, monitoring and evaluation practices in government.

 

5.Overview of the 2020/2021financial year

The Department has the following activities planned for 2020/21:

5.1 Reviewing the NDP

The NDP was adopted as a guide to achieving South Africa’s goals, broadly in terms of socioeconomic development, and specifically in terms of eliminating poverty, creating jobs and reducing inequality by 2030. The National Planning Commission was tasked with reviewing some aspects of the NDP in 2019/20 to address certain implementation challenges. Over the medium term, this review is expected to assess the capacity and capability of the State in measuring the implementation of the NDP. Related activities are set to be carried out in the Management: National Planning Coordination subprogramme in the National Planning Coordination programme.

 

5.2        Improving and strengthening government planning and coordination

The Department is mandated to improve and strengthen government’s planning and coordination. This involves: ensuring the implementation of government’s medium-term strategic framework, which is implemented in five year cycles to allow for revisions, and serves as a roadmap for achieving goals linked to NDP outcomes; and conducting assessments of national departments’ draft strategic and annual performance plans to ensure alignment with the medium-term strategic framework and the NDP. In this regard, in each year over the medium term, the Department expects to produce 47 assessment reports. Based on the outcomes of these assessments, the Department will, in consultation with the National Treasury, identify delivery priorities for the funding of national departments. Related activities are carried out in the Planning Coordination subprogramme in the NationalPlanning Coordination programme.

 

5.3        Supporting implementation of short‐term and medium‐term goals

Tracking the performance of the short-term and medium-term goals of Government’s 2019‐2024 medium-term strategic framework is a core function of the Department. Accordingly, over the MTEF period, the Department will engage national and provincial departments, government agencies and key state-owned entities to assess their implementation of the priorities and indicators of the medium-term strategic framework, and identify performance gaps and interventions to address underperformance. In this regard, the Department plans to produce two reports per year over the medium term for submission to Cabinet.

 

5.4        Monitoring and supporting implementation

Over the medium term, Government’s 2020-2024 medium-term strategic framework will form the basis of using the Programme of Action monitoring system, which will identify critical actions to be taken by government towards achieving the NDP’s vision while enabling direct links between the NDP, and departmental strategic and annual performance plans. Through the programme of action monitoring system, the Department will report to Cabinet bi-annually regarding the implementation of Government’s 2020-2024 Medium-Term Strategic Framework.

 

These activities are carried out in the Outcomes Monitoring and Support subprogramme in the

Sector Monitoring Services programme. Due to a growing demand from parliamentary committees and Cabinet, over the medium term, the Department plans to intervene and support the implementation of government policies and programmes at various levels of the service delivery value chain, particularly in provinces placed under administration and in areas of social unrest; and fast-track the implementation of government policies and programmes in critical development issues through Operation Phakisa Monitoring Services programme.

 

5.5        Developing intervention programmes to support service delivery

The Department plans to produce two reports per year over the MTEF period to monitor the impact of policy priorities in relation to actual service delivery through various frontline monitoring programmes, including targeted site visits, citizen-based monitoring and the Presidential Hotline. To enhance capacity over the medium term, the Department plans to assess the performance of government departments, agencies, state-owned enterprises and local government. This will include the development of a new monitoring model to replace the management performance assessment tool, and support the annual development and assessment of performance agreements of Heads of Department. These activities will be carried out in the Public ServiceMonitoring and Capacity Development subprogramme in the Public Sector Monitoring and CapacityDevelopment programme.

 

5.6        Conducting research and evaluations

The Department’s ongoing focus is on maximising the use of its evaluations and research to generate rapid and relevant evidence to inform planning and monitoring, and appropriate interventions. As such, over the medium term, the Department plans to work towards improving research and knowledge, and maintain evidence-based policy development, planning, implementation and monitoring by providing support for data management. This will be achieved by developing and monitoring the implementation of a national evaluation plan, and conducting evaluations and research to support the planning and monitoring activities of the National PlanningCoordination and Sector Monitoring Services programmes. Accordingly, in each year over the medium term, the Department plans to produce 10 evidence reports on indicators related to evaluations, and research and development.

 

 

 

 

1. STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS

The Department’s APP took into account the February and June SONAs aligned with its Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of Government programmes and functions. The DPME developed the following seven priorities emanating from SONAs, amongst others:

• To finalise and enable approval of the Medium Term Strategic Framework-NDP 5 Year Implementation Plan and Integrated Monitoring Framework.
• Develop a monitoring framework for SONA commitments.
• Establishment of the Performance Agreements with Ministers, Deputy Minister and Directors-General.
• Spearhead and monitor the implementation of the Public Private Growth Initiative (PPGI) in partnership with the private sector to grow the economy and create jobs.
• Monitor the whole of Government on partnership in their implementation of the seven priorities with the Private Sector, the Labour Movement and Civil Society.
• Monitor the partnership and plans of Development Finance Institutions, State Owned Enterprises and Public Entities and their commitments to the MTSF.
• Evaluation and Knowledge Management.

 

1. BUDGET ALLOCATION

The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation overall budget allocation in 2020/21 financial year is R500.0 million, which is an increase as compared to R479.5 million in 2019/20 financial year. As part of the national macro organisation of government in 2019/20, the Department’s organisational structure was revised to accommodate the transfer of the youth function of the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, and the socioeconomic impact assessment system function to the Presidency. Despite the revised organisational structure, the Department’s number of personnel is expected to be at an average of 458 over the MTEF period. Spending on Compensation of Employees accounts for an estimated 67.8 per cent (R1.1 billion) of the Department’s total expenditure over the medium term.

 

Programme	Revised Estimates	Medium-Term Expenditure Estimate
R million	2019/20	2020/21	2021/22	2022/23
Administration	184.2	194.3	194.8	202.8
National Planning Coordination	85.9	81.7	86.3	91.5
Sector Monitoring Services	74.6	81.6	86.3	91.1
Public Sector Monitoring and Capacity Development	86.9	90.3	95.5	94.0
Evidence and Knowledge System	47.9	52.1	55.2	58.3
Total	479.5	500.0	524.3	547.9

Table 1: Budget per programme

Source: Estimates of National Expenditure 2020

 

1. PROGRAMME PERFORMANCE

The Department hasfive programmes, which are as follows:

1. Programme 1: Administration

The main objective of the programme is to provide strategic leadership, management, administrative, financial and human resource services to enable the Department to achieve its strategic and operational goals. The Programme’s key focus is to implement revised organisational structure and recruitment of key personnel, improve the quality of performance information, maintain good financial management practices to sustain clean audit outcomes and strengthen communication around the National Development Plan.

The budget allocated to the Programme is R194.3 million in 2020/21 financial year as compared to R184.2 million in 2019/20 financial year. The budget will increase significantly over the MTEF period. Budget allocated will be spread into three sub-programmes which are Ministry, Departmental Management, Corporate Services and Financial Management. A large portion of the budget of R144.0 million of the total amount in this Programme is allocated to sub-programme: Corporate Services and Financial Administration. The Ministry Support budget has increased slightly as compared to the previous financial years. The spending focus over the medium term is to strengthen capacity in administrative and corporate support services and the acquisition of additional office accommodation to cater for the expanded functions of the Department.

Under programme 1, the Department has priorities to table Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plan as prescribed by the relevant planning frameworks in Parliament. The Department intends to produce quarterly implementation reports against the Annual Performance Plan for 2020/21. Moreover, the Department aims to maintain the average percentage of funded posts in PERSAL within acceptable 10% rate over the financial year.

The Department is committed to ensuring 100% compliance regarding valid invoices paid within 30 days. Actually payments to service providers are done in less than seven days as compared to 30 days. Failure to pay invoices within 30 days constitutes a disciplinary action in the Department. The Department aims to achieve 100% compliance with the Financial Disclosure Framework by all designated employees within the prescribed time frames.

1. Programme 2:National Planning Coordination

The purpose of the Programme is to develop, implement planning frameworks, and facilitate the alignment of the planning and budgeting functions across government and in the Department. The key objective of this Programme is to ensure the achievement of the NDP’s objectives by 2030, through developing an annual budget prioritisation framework, embedding the national spatial development framework in the strategic and annual performance plans of national and provincial departments over the medium term.

The Programme further intends to coordinate planning functions across government by assessing the alignment of the strategic and annual performance plans of national and provincial departments and public entities with Government’s 2019-2024 Medium-Term Strategic Framework annually. In addition, the Programme has to assess alignment of provincial growth and development plans with local government’s Integrated Development Plans and, in turn, with Government’s 2019-2024 Medium-Term Strategic Framework annually.

The budget allocated for the Programme is R81.7 million in 2020/21 as compared to R85.9 million in the 2019/20 financial year. The budget has slightly decreased in this Programme. The spending focus is under subprogramme National Planning Coordination to ensure alignment of the provincial growth with the MTSF 2019-2024 and performance plans of the national and provincial departments. The Department developed guidelines for the institutionalisation of the MTSF and development of guidelines for the sector plans. Guidelines for the quarterly performance reporting will be published in May 2020 to all national and provincial departments.

The Department further intends to issue guidelines on geo-spatial reference projects alongside guidelines for APPs. The Programme will further develop National Spatial Development Framework implementation charter to guide the developmental agenda. The Department will under Programme 2 analyse report on the Integrated Planning Framework Bill. Budget Prioritisation is another responsibility executed under this Programme, the Department will issue guidelines on the Mandate Paper (Budget Prioritisation Framework). 

1. Programme 3:Sector Monitoring Services

The purpose of the Programme is to ensure government policy coherence. The Programmedevelops, facilitates, supports and monitors the implementation of sector plans and intervention strategies. The main objectives of the programme are to ensure the effective implementation of government’s 2019-2024 Medium-Term Strategic Framework by monitoring the achievement of targets in priorities 1 to 5 and priority 7 and reporting on progress to Cabinet twice in a year. Furthermore, it monitors and reports on the achievement of targets in the performance agreements between the President and Ministers annually, and support, where and when required for the development and implementation of special intervention programmes.

The budget allocated for the Programme is R81.6 million for the 2020/21 financial year. Over the MTEF the budget will increase substantially to accelerate progress towards the national priorities embodied in the NDP 2030. The spending focus in this financial year will be realised on subprogramme Outcomes Monitoring and Support, which has been allocated a total amount of R68.1 million. The Department plans to intervene and support the implementation of government policies and programmes at various levels of service delivery value chain, particularly in the provinces placed under administration and in areas of social unrest.

The Programme will further monitor and report on the outcomes of Cabinet and performance agreement of the Ministers and Deputy Ministers. Operation Phakisa is a Presidential initiative seeking to change the manner in which government pursues new and faster ways of delivering services to the citizens. As part of ongoing monitoring on Operation Phakisa, the Programme will develop three integrated assessment reports on the implementation of the Operation Phakisa Delivery Labs. The Programme will further spend budget on monitoring the quality of management through the Local Government Management Improvement Model (LGMIM) and produce eight improvements plans.   

1. Programme 4: Public Sector Monitoring and Capacity Development

The purpose of the Programme is to support the implementation of the Medium-Term Strategic Framework by monitoring and improving the capacity of state institutions to develop and implement plans, and provide services. The main objective of the Programme is to strengthen state governance, efficiency, effectiveness and equity through: monitoring the achievement of targets related to Priority 6 of Government’s 2019-2024 Medium-Term Strategic Framework, and reporting on progress to Cabinet twice in a year. Furthermore, it will develop and implement the new performance and capabilities analytical framework by March 2021 by ensuring the alignment of the performance agreements of Heads of Department with Government’s 2019-2024 Medium-Term Strategic Framework and supporting assessments conducted on Heads of Department annually. Additionally, the Programme monitors service delivery through regular frontline monitoring visits, citizen-based monitoring and the Presidential Hotline, and reporting thereon.

The budget allocated for the Public Sector Monitoring and Capacity Development Programme is R90.3 million for the 20/21 financial year. The budget will increase over the medium term to provide financial support for the attainment of the objectives of the Programme. The spending focus in this programme is on subprogramme Public Service Monitoring and Capacity Building, which has been allocated a budget of R86.0 million. The Programme will spend the budget on developing two Public Service Capability and Monitoring reports, State Owned Enterprises Governance and Performance Report, SOEs Oversight and Monitoring Framework, one high risk SOE support and an establish interdepartmental structure to oversee the Audit and rationalisation of SOEs.

The District Development Model is a method that seeks to improve the coherence and impact of government service delivery. It is a proactive response to the issues that have hampered society. The Department will produce oversight, monitoring reports on the implementation of the District Development Model, which is piloted in three district municipalities in Limpopo, KwaZulu Natal and Eastern Cape provinces.    

 

1. Programme 5: Evidence and Knowledge Systems

The purpose of the Programme is to coordinate and support the generation, collation, accessibility and timely use of quality evidence to support performance monitoring and evaluation across government. The main objective of the programme is to support the planning and monitoring roles of the Department by developing and implementing the national evaluation plan annually, conducting research and evaluations in key policy areas as identified annually, and producing relevant evidence reports. It also improves knowledge management in the Department through the development and implementation of a departmental knowledge and evidence hub.

The budget allocation for the Programme is R52.1 million in the 2020/21 financial year. There is a marginal increase on the budget allocated in 2020/21 financial year for the Programme. The spending focus under this Programme is to generate and collate evaluations, research and data from across government; develop a DPME Knowledge Hub and knowledge management system, including systems and protocols within DPME for sharing data and systems for research and analysis. The Programme will produce technical system design of the Centralised Management and Analytical System (CDMAS) and Evidence-Based Technical to be provided to government Institutions. 

1. Brand South Africa

9.1Legislative Mandate and Policy

The mandate informing Brand South Africa (BSA) is derived from the organisation’s Trust Deed.  BSA was established as a trust in 2002 and gazetted as a schedule 3A public entity in accordance with the PFMA No.1 of 1999.  Brand South Africa 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 communications strategy for South Africa; to contribute to job creation and poverty reduction; and to attract inward investment, trade and tourism.

BSA aims to make an indirect contribution to economic growth, job creation, poverty alleviation and social cohesion by encouraging local and foreign investment, tourism and trade through the promotion of Brand South Africa.In the next five years, BSA will continue to be the authority on the Nation Brand through development and implementation of proactive and coordinated marketing, communications and reputation management strategies. The entity will achieve this by developing and articulating a South Africa Nation Brand identity that will advance South Africa’s long-term positive reputation and global competitiveness. Brand SA Strategic Plan responds to changing domestic and international realities.

9.1.1 Brand SA objectives for 2020/21

1. Developing and articulating a South Africa Brand identity that will advance South Africa’s long-term positive reputation and global competitiveness.
2. Building individual and institutional alignment to and supporting the brand in South Africa, and pride and patriotism amongst South Africans.
3. Seeking to build awareness and the image of the brand in other countries.
4. Seeking the involvement and cooperation of various government departments, public entities, the private sector, the non-governmental sector and civil society in achieving this objective.

9.1.2 Brand South Africa’s main source of revenue is the Government Grant.  Brand South Africa received a budget of R168 million for 2020/21.

9.2Programme Performance

The BSA has three main programmes, namely:

1. Programme 1: Administration

The Programme seeks to provide strategic leadership, management and support services to the core business functions of Brand South Africa and is overall responsible for ensuring sound governance, high performance and optimal utilization of available capital and resources.

The budget allocated for Programme 1 is R108.0 million for 2020/21 financial year. The budget will be spent on a number of activities including implementation of organisational corporate identity; reporting to Board of Trustees on status of policy governance; policy and procedures awareness workshop; payment of valid invoices to suppliers within 30 days from date of receipt of invoice;and drafting and tabling of the Annual Performance Plan to the Executing Authority in Parliament. Brand SA intends to submit four reports to the Board of Trustees on the applicable legislative framework. 

 

 

1. Programme 2: Brand,Marketing & Reputation Management

The Programme seeks to develop and articulate a Nation Brand identity that will advance South Africa’s long-term reputation and global competitiveness. This includes a focus to research and monitoring sentiment and performance of the National Brand to analyse trends and providing insights to inform decision making and communication; and then to both proactively and reactively communicate the country’s value proposition, values and highlight progress being made.

Programme 2 has been allocated a budget of R92.6 million in the 2020/21 financial year. Programme 2 is the core function of BSA. The budget will be spent on various activities, which include among others, marketing campaigns that reach four different geographic regions; integrated reputation and communication activities implemented at strategic platforms domestically and internationally; domestic research; developing and implementing Reputation Management strategy. Furthermore, it will develop positive communication pieces, positive thought leadership and webinars. Brand SA will review and respond to relevant issues impacting on the Nation Brand in line with the reputation management strategy. The entity plans to have 60 Play Your Part ambassador engagements and four constitutional awareness campaigns.

1. Programme 3: Stakeholder relationships

The Programme seeks to build and leverage collaborative partnerships,integrate and coordinate efforts and approaches to market the Nation Brand identity and promote the Nation’s value proposition and to interface meaningfully with stakeholders who drive or influence the Nation Brand and its reputation.

The Programme has a budget allocation of R18.6 million for 2020/21 financial year.  The budget will be spent on the following activities: to review and implement annual stakeholder relations strategy, implement collaborative activities in partnership with the public sector, civil society and business stakeholders domestically.  

 

1. OBSERVATIONS AND KEY FINDINGS

The Committee observed the following matters in relation to Budget Vote 8, to which the Department must give attention:

1. The Committee noted and considered the Strategic Plans 2019/24 and Annual Performance Plans 2020/21 for the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and Brand South Africa. The Committee was made aware of the possibility of reviewing the Strategic and Annual Performance Plans due to the pandemic outbreak, as some slice of budget across departmentswill be directed towards curbing the coronavirus in the country.

 

1. The Committee noted the departure of the Director-General of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation to serve in other structures within the state. The Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation pronounced that the Director-General’s post will not be advertised due tosome directors-general floating within the composite organogram of Government, as a result of macro organisation.

 

1. The Committee further notedthe effectiveness of the Presidential Hotline operating during COVID-19 to resolve service delivery challenges confronting citizens on a daily basis. The Committee appealed to the Department to compile a report on all calls logged, unresolved and resolved during the lockdown.

 

1. The Department has a vacancy rate above an acceptable norm per the Public Service Regulations of 2016. The Committee is of the view that the Department has to fill all critical funded positions to ensure stability at senior management level and for the purpose of carrying out its mandate effectively.

 

1. The Committee encouraged the Department to fast-track the finalisation of an Integrated Development Framework Bill immediately after the pilot report on the results of the District Development Model has been finalised.  The Committee stressed the importance of the Bill as it will enforce coordination, collaboration and coherence of planning and budgets across the three spheres of government.

 

1. The Committee welcomed and noted the decision of the Department to assess annual performance agreements of the Directors-General/Heads of Department aligned to the Medium Term Strategic Framework as well as the National Development Plan.

 

1. The Committee urged the Department to finalise the process of transferring the spatial planning function from the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reforms. Transferring this key component to the DARDLR will strengthen effective planning throughassessing the desired patterns of land use and direction for socioeconomic growth in order to attract investors.

 

1. The Committee urged the Department to develop a Risk Management Strategy as identified by the Auditor-General during audits.

 

Brand South Africa

 

1. The Committee welcomed and notedthe appointment of Brand South Africa Board of Trustees. The Committee was of the view that appointment of the Board will positively steer the entity’s performance and give it a right direction in branding and marketing the country.

 

1. Brand South Africa was encouraged to organise a training workshop to orientate the Board of Trustees in order to assist it to acquaint itself with all relevant governance legislation.

 

1. The Minister was requested to urgently conclude his studying of the special investigation report on tender irregularities at Brand SA regarding the Chief Executive Officer and to act on the findings. Implementation of the findings will allow the entity to fill all senior management positions and to ensure good governance practices.

 

1. The Committee advised the Board of Trustees together with the administrative leadership of Brand South Africa to attend to all administrative issues that caused the entity to receive unfavourable audit outcomes. There is a need to ensure that Brand SA has sound internal controls.

 

1. The Committee took note of Brand South Africa’s role in developing a targeted approach to promote the country brand internationally. However, the Committee urged Brand South Africa to also develop a targeted approach towards promoting local brand in order to attract investment in provinces for local growth and development.

 

1. The Committee established with Brand South Africa whether international offices were fully operational and whether Brand South Africa was still paying rent in spite of offices being closed, particularly the China office. 

 

1. The Committee requested forthe design of a strategyon how Brand South Africa will respond to the United Nations Human Rights for branding the country’s lockdown as toxic regarding the accommodation of foreign nationals. The Committee advised Brand SA to engage with the media houses in responding holistically to the perceived challenge.

 

1. The Committee noted the role played by Brand South Africa in managing the National Brand reputation in order to improve the country’s global attractiveness and competitiveness.

 

1. RECOMMENDATIONS

The Portfolio Committee recommended the following to the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and Brand South Africafor actioning:

 

1.             The Department should swiftly finalise the Integrated Development Planning Framework Bill, having incorporated District Development Model pilot results into the Bill. 

 

1. The Minister should ensure due diligence in processingthe secondment offloating directors-general within the composite organogram of the public serviceto fill the position of the Department’s Director-General. This will help to ensure that a candidate with credible track record getsappointed within the Department. 

 

1. The Department should fill all critical funded positions at the Senior Management levelsto ensure stability, service delivery and good governance.  

 

1. The Department should compile a comprehensive report on the logged cases for the Presidential Hotline during the course of the pandemic and lockdown,and table itin Parliament by September 2020.

 

1. The Department should strengthen its capacity inmonitoring adherence to the Policy on Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) for Senior Managers, particularly performance assessments of the Directors-General/Heads of Department across the public service. The Department should ensure thatpayment of performance bonuses correlates with departmental performance when assessing these incumbents, in correlation withthe applicable DPSA, PSC and audit reports.

 

Brand South Africa

 

1.             Brand South Africa should continue to discharge its mandate to positively influence and enhancethe perception of the Nation Brand in balancing its local and international branding.

 

1. Brand South Africa should develop more local activities aimed at instilling patriotism, social cohesion and nation building in the country.

 

1. The Minister should urgently attend to and implement the findings of the special investigation report for the tender irregularities at Brand South Africa and accordingly report within 90 days to Parliament on the outcome.

 

1. Brand South Africa should continue to market the National Brand to the international and domestic investors for the promotion ofdomestic trade in order to attract investments in the country. BSA should be proactive in protecting the country’s reputation through marketing the Nation Brand by promoting positive publicity about South African brands.

 

1. CONCLUSION

The Department’s mandate of improving and strengthening government-wide planning as well as monitoring and evaluating government performance is carried out satisfactorily. The Committee will continue to support the Department and to exercise oversight to ensurethat planning is informed by Government’s Programme of Action andthe Medium Term Strategic Framework.These said tools must be aligned to the objectives of the NDP. The achievement of the NDP requirescollaboration, integration and cooperation across all levels of government, including the private sector. The Committee was satisfied with the Department developingthe NDP 5-Year Implementation Plan (MTSF) to advance and guide medium and short-term planning of the Sixth Government.The Department has a critical role to play in enhancing government’s performance. There is a growing demand for the DPME to intervene and support in the implementation of the service delivery initiatives. The Committee wished well the former Director-General of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, MsMpumiMpofu, in her future after serving the Department with distinction during her tenure. 

 

The Portfolio Committee recommends as follows:

That the House adopts and approves the Budget Vote 9 of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.

 

Report to be considered