How to manage government Performance Information, ensuring that the programmes of government is truly effective and efficient? This question was answered during an information session, held at the Flamingo Casino on 21 June 2011 by the Northern Cape Department of Social Development.
This follows the clean and unqualified audit report that the department received for the 2009/10 financial year; which led to the National Department of Social Development, after analysing all Audit Reports from the different provinces, declaring the Northern Cape department as a Best Practice Model. Planners in other provinces therefore requested that the success of the department in the Northern Cape must be looked into, which lead this session of sharing their experiences.
This session was attended by planners from both the National Department of Social Development and their counterparts within the nine provinces, as well as staff from the office of the Auditor-General and Provincial Treasury.
The purpose of this session is to be very interactive to enable other provinces to identify if the learning’s of the Northern Cape could be made applicable to their respective provinces. In this regard recommendations will be made to be presented at the Heads of Social Development meeting to adopt as a National Blueprint for managing Performance Information, in consultation with both Internal and External Auditors.
Ms. Elize Summers, Director: Policy & Planning led the discussions by highlighting the purpose of Performance Information Management: To guide and advise strategic planners to engage in a performance monitoring process utilising the strategic plan, annual performance plan and operational plan to report and account by means of evidence, services rendered to communities and how allocated resources have been utilised to do so.
She stressed that for success it is important to surround you with a team to constantly advise and inform you of new developments, as well as the support of both the political and administrative heads and line functionaries. In her presentation she also focused on the criteria used by the Auditors and the steps to be followed when putting these criteria into practice.
Ms. Melanie Kivedo, Director: Social Welfare Services shared the experiences of line functionaries in implementing the said Performance Information Management system within a service delivery unit. In her presentation she focused on the process of managing Performance Information, the systems and tools needed to report and monitor the information, as well as the lessons learned since the inception of this programme in 2007.
Enquiries:
Nelmarie van Wyk
Communication Officer
Tel: 053 831 4041
Cell: 079 875 0849
Best Practice Model: Northern Cape Department of Social Development
Province
