ATC130604: Report of the Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs on the 2013/14 Annual Performance Plans and Budget Vote of the Department of Co-operative Governance DCoG and the Department of Traditional Affairs (DTA) – Dated 4 June 2013

NCOP Economic and Business Development

Report of the Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs on the 2013/14 Annual Performance Plans and Budget Vote of the Department of Co-operative Governance DCoG and the Department of Traditional Affairs (DTA) – Dated 4 June 201

Report of the Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs on the 2013/14 Annual Performance Plans and Budget Vote of the Department of Co-operative Governance DCoG and the Department of Traditional Affairs (DTA) – Dated 4 June 2013

Having considered the Annual Performance Plans and Budget Vote of DCoG and the DTA, the Committee reports as follows:

1. Introduction

1.2 On the 28 May 2013, the Committee met with the Department to consider briefings on their annual performance plans and budget vote for the 2013/14 financial year. This was done as part of the Committee’s role in conducting parliamentary oversight and ensuring executive accountability, especially with regards to annual performance plans, priorities and budget allocation to departmental programmes and public entities.

2. Background

2.1 The departmental officials who appeared before the Committee during the briefing on the annual performance plans and budget vote included: Mr V Madonsela (Director-General of DCoG ); Mr KL Sebego (Chief Operation Officer); Mr M Mtyhuda (Chief Financial Officer); Mr RS Mogaladi (Executive Manager); Mr KL Terry (Head of the National Disaster Management), Mr TB Themba (Deputy Director-General) and Mr C Nwaila (Director-General of DTA).

2.2 CoGTA is the new Department for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. The establishment of CoGTA was announced by the President, Jacob Zuma, on 10 May 2009. The establishment of CoGTA was to shift away from the narrower mandate of the former Department of Provincial and Local Government, and to respond decisively to the enforcement and coordination of weaknesses and failures observed in Government over the past 15 years.

3 . Presentation on the Annual Performance Plans and Budget Vote of DCoG & DTA

3.1 The Chief Operation Officer presented the Departmental Annual Performance Plans and Budget Vote. The presentation focused on the strategic direction and approach; departmental goals and strategic objectives; overview of financial allocation; DCoG specific activities per programme and; DTA specific activities per programme.

4. Strategic Direction and Approach

4.1 The Department reported firstly that the major focus over the medium- term, was that resources will be allocated towards fast-tracking the implementation of the collective decision to enhance the functioning of municipalities, and to locate the role of traditional institutions within the broader agenda of Government.

4.2 Secondly, the Department reported that it will provide a much focused support to 105 municipalities, which are within the 23 District Municipalities indentified by the Cabinet as well as corresponding traditional communities. In particular, the focus will be on the following areas:

· Promoting sound financial management by robustly implementing the mandate of the PFMA and MFMA through operation clean audit;

· Enhance good governance;

· Fighting corruption;

· Accelerate service delivery; and

· Facilitate sustainable infrastructure development.

5. Strategic Goals and Related Objectives ( DCoG )

5.1 The Department tabled a number of strategic goals to direct the implementation over the 2013/14 financial period. The first strategic goal deals with a policy platform that provides a differentiated approach to municipal financial planning. The related strategic objectives will include improvement of the system of disaster risk management; ensure the availability of the policy framework for differentiation; facilitate the development of credible and simplified IDP and, the inculcation of the culture of disaster risk reduction and resilience.

5.2 The second strategic goal deals with improved access to basic service . The related strategic objectives include ensuring increased access to basic electricity, refuse removal, water and sanitation; establishment of partnership and mechanisms to improve services; and supporting sector departments and municipalities to improve access to basic services.

5.3 The third strategic goal deals with implementation of the community work programme . The related strategic objective will include ensuring the creation of 332 500 work opportunities. The fourth strategic goal deals with strengthening the effectiveness of cooperative governance through the development and roll-out of policies and legislation.

5.4 The fifth strategic goal deals with strengthening measures to fight corruption and unethical conduct . The six strategic goal deals with strengthening, coordinating and supporting effective integrated disaster management and fire services. The seventh strategic goal deals with deepening participatory democracy through a refined ward committee model . Lastly, the eight strategic goal deals enhancing administrative and financial capabilities of the municipalities.

6. Departmental Priorities for 2013/14 Financial Period

6.1 The department tabled priorities for programme specific activities. These included priorities administration; policy, research and knowledge management; governance and intergovernmental relations; national disaster management centre; provincial and municipal government support; and infrastructure and economic development. Each programme is discussed below:

7. Administration

7.1 The priorities presented in relation to Administration included the development of the Post Audit Action Plan (PAAP) by the end of September 2013; reviewing and submitting a report on human resource plan to Department of Public Service and Administration; providing support to provinces and municipalities to develop section 46 and 27 reports; supporting four provinces to develop and implement performance management system; supporting struggling municipalities with communication tools; revising and implementing annual fraud plan and annual risk management plan in an effort to improve the departmental governance.

8. Policy, Research and Knowledge Management

8.1 The priorities presented in relation to the above-mentioned Programme included the implementation of two knowledge management strategy; development of research papers covering governance, service delivery and financial management by 31 March 2014 and ensuring that the policy forum discusses new policy matters, directives and priorities

9. Governance and Intergovernmental Relations

9.1 The priorities presented in relation to above-mentioned Programme included conducting an assessment of provincial intergovernmental relation structures; submitting to Parliament by 31 March 2014 the Intergovernmental, Monitoring, Support and Intervention Bill; increasing the development and implementation of ward level operational plan from 500 to 2000 wards by 31 March 2013; establishment of 40 Ethics Committees and train officials in municipalities; monitor and assess report on implementation of credit control and debt collection policy as well as payment of government debt in 30 identified municipalities.

10. National Disaster Management Centre

10.1 The priorities presented in relation of the above-mentioned Programme included the development and reviewing of the draft White Paper on Fire Brigade Services and Disaster Management Amendment Bill; indicative risk and vulnerability profile for drought; Disaster Management Monitoring and Evaluation Framework will also be developed by 31 March 2014.

11. Provincial Municipal Government Support

11.1 The priorities presented in relation to this Programme included the monitoring of provinces’ support to municipalities in filling vacancies in terms of the Local Government: Municipal System Act (Act No. 32 of 2000); developing Municipal Demarcation Amendment Draft Bill; developing discussion document on Organised Local Government; developing guidelines on section 105 and 106 provincial policy oversight and; facilitating workshops in nine provinces and 23 districts to improve development planning.

12. Infrastructure and Economic Development

12.1 The priorities presented included the provision of 171 500 work opportunities; ensuring 48 municipalities implement community work projects; establishing private sector partnerships; developing and implementing support plans to promote economic development by 31 March 2014; reviewing national framework for local economic development by march 2014; supporting 50 municipalities to improve access to free basic services and developing new Municipal Infrastructure Grant policy to facilitate the improvement in delivery of basic service.

13. Priorities and Targets of the Department of Traditional Affairs (DTA)

13.1 The Chief Operation Officer presented the strategic goals, objectives and programme activities of the Department of Traditional Affairs.

14. 2013/14 Priorities and Targets of Department of Traditional Affairs

14.1 The key priorities during the financial year is the implementation of the traditional leadership outreach programme for structures within the institution of traditional leadership. Another priority is the implementation of the empowerment programme informed by the outcome of the assessment project conducted in 2011/12 financial year which includes the development and implementation of a bursary policy for children in traditional communities, including the children of traditional leaders.

14.2 The profiling and assessing of 78 traditional councils in support of local government turn around strategic priorities will be another focus. Providing support to provinces in the alignment of provincial legislation with the Traditional Leadership Governance Framework Act (Act No.41 of 2003); expediting the processing of the remaining traditional leadership disputes and claims targeting 360 claims.

14.3 Strengthening the inter-faith sector and establishment of the provincial interfaith chapters will be a priority area; promoting and supporting cultural tourism; finalising the protocol guidelines for Kingships/ Queenship and focusing the second phase on senior traditional leaders; conducting consultation on norms and standards on tools of trade for the institution of traditional leadership to address inconsistencies across provinces; developing and consulting on appropriate norms and standards for recognition and appointment of headmen and headwomen; coordinating summits, roundtable discussion and cultural events to promote heritage and social cohesion; as well as developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation framework

15. Budget and Expenditure Trend Analysis

15.1 The spending focus over the medium term will be on facilitating infrastructure delivery programmes and job creation, providing operational support to municipalities, strengthening technical and institutional capacity in local government, responding to disasters, and providing targeted and specialised support to traditional communities. Spending on conditional and other fiscal transfers is expected to increase over the medium term because further allocations of R5.4 billion to the equitable share are to be transferred to municipalities to supplement municipal revenue. This will allow municipalities to provide free basic services to poor households, build in-house capacity on systems and eradicate backlogs in their infrastructure. See the table below:

MTEF allocation

R Million

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

Administration

219.0

227.1

233.5

Policy, Research and Knowledge Management

49.5

52.3

56.8

Governance and Intergovernmental Relations

40 706.7

44 620.8

50 343.3

Disaster Response Management

585.1

613.5

635.3

Provincial and Municipal Government Systems

272.1

286.2

296.8

Infrastructure and Economic Development

16 315.2

17 375.6

18 266.4

Traditional Affairs

105.2

111.9

116.9

Total

58 252.7

63 287.4

69 948.9

16. Committee Observation

16.1 The Committee was concerned about the plight of the Khoisan people, and their struggle to achieve recognition as traditional leaders and communities. Questions were raised for more details on legislative plans to address this challenge.

16.2 The Committee expressed concerns on the Department’s performance in the field of disaster management, particularly in respect of indigent communities who settled in flood plains and were vulnerable to seasonal rainfall. There is a need for close liaison with municipalities so that people in disaster prone areas are removed, and early warning systems are put in place to avoid loss of lives.

16.3 The Committee expressed its disappointment on the Department’s failure to implement the previous recommendations, more especially with regard to tabling of quarterly reports in respect to departmental strategic objectives and priorities.

16.4 The Committee further observed that the Department in its presentation of its strategic goals, related objectives and programme activities did not include and indicate performance indicators, measurable outcomes and target dates.

17. Recommendations

17.1 In the interest of co-operative governance, the Committee recommends to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) that the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs should :

17.1.1 expedite the proposed legislation aimed at recognising the Khoisan Traditional Leadership, as process has been delayed since 2003;

17.1.2 revitalise the Disaster Management Unit to focus on risk management and the prevention of natural disasters proactively; and

17.1.3 table quarterly reports to the National Council of Provinces on the implementation of the Department’s strategic policy priority areas, as well as challenges encountered. Failure in which the Committee will recommend to the NCOP not to approve the budget vote of the Department.

17.2 The Committee further recommends that the NCOP should approve Budget Vote 3 of the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

Report to be considered.

Documents

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