DPME achieves a sixth consecutive clean audit
Minister Dlamini Zuma tabled the Annual Report of the Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) in the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa today. The department achieved its sixth consecutive clean audit which is attributable to primarily the commitment of all officials to ensure sound controls over the financial, performance reporting and compliance monitoring environments.
The Department has also improved its performance on key functions related to planning, monitoring and evaluation to contribute in the realisation of building a prosperous South Africa as envisaged in the National Development Plan (NDP). During the period under review, the Department undertook a review of the planning system in the whole of government with a view of improving coordination and coherence in the implementation of developmental objectives and outcomes. As a result, a process of developing legislation to insitutionalise planning across government was started. The country need an instrument to foster an integrated planning process.
An Annual Budget Prioritisation Framework, otherwise known as the Budget Mandate Paper, was introduced to support departments to align their budget with NDP and MTSF priorities.
Whilst strengthening planning and prioritisation in resource allocation, the department is gradually improving its monitoring systems to ensure that implementation is consistent with government programmes. As part of its monitoring function, the Department conducted and published a Mid-Term Review of Government Performance. The review revealed that government is making good progress in some areas but also, that concerted efforts and speedy actions are required to address inequality, poverty and unemployment.
The Department also conducted monitoring on specific elements of the service delivery system. These included the use of Management Performance Management Tools (MPAT), Local Government Management Improvement Model (LGMIM), Frontline Service Delivery Monitoring (FSDM), the Presidential Hotline and Community Based Monitoring. These monitoring activities enable the department to gather evidence related to the state of management practices and the experiences of citizens’ when accessing government services.
The DPME also recently led the coordination of various Government Departments, assisting the President in supervising the work of Government through Inter-Ministerial Committees such as for Comprehensive Social Security - SASSA over the social grants payment.
To ensure efficiency in assessing the impact of government programmes, the department reviewed the evaluations system in the past financial year. The review identified the need to allow for a more diverse evaluation system that focus on shorter evaluations in crises periods and longer term Sectoral Reviews in collaboration with other departments and state institutions. Evaluations and research also play a pivotal role in ensuring that the work of the Department is evidence-based.
The department will continue to identify mechanisms to strengthen planning and coordination, monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure that government programme contribute in changing the lives of the people, especially the youth and women who are most affected by poverty and inequality. In this regard, the department has initiated a process to develop a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the National Youth Policy to strengthen monitoring of the implementation of National Youth Policy by stakeholders.
The management and staff look forward to the future with conviction that the contributions of the department in the implementation of the NDP will move South Africa forward to a brighter and more prosperous future.
Enquiries:
Mr Mlungisi Mtshali
Cell: 082 088 5060
Email: Mlungisi.Mtshali@dpme.gov.za
