The National Department of Public Works (DPW) has made great strides in achieving its annual performance targets in the first quarter of financial year 2014/15, indicating attainment of 60% of its 81 listed targets.
The figures are a positive indication that the department has stabilised and is starting to turn around for the better however; there was a general acknowledgement that more work still needed to be done.
All this was revealed in Parliament today, 16 September 2014 when the Department of Public Works delivered its quarter 1 performance report to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee.
Some programmes of the department, have over-achieved on their targets for the quarter, including the Expanded Public works Programme, which has creating over 420 000 work opportunities from a planned target of 262 000 work opportunities, with 76 % of those job opportunities (about 318 089) accounted for in the rural municipalities where the Programme was intended to have a maximum effect.
Similarly, about 22 514 properties against the target of 14 214 in the Departmental Immoveable Asset Register were populated with relevant information fields that make them compliant to the acceptable accounting systems and thereby significantly reducing the number of properties not complying and therefore likely to give rise to adverse audit findings. The annual target for 2014/15 was 56 871 to be made so compliant.
In addition, the physical verification of assets was also moving at the speed of light with the National Asset Register currently at 95% of all physically verified immovable assets of the state. This is a first in the history of the South African and a possible game changer in the battle by the department to improve its accountability.
In the Supply Chain Management (SCM) environment, which has been a major problem in the past, the department has achieved over 70% of its targets. Processes, including the improvement of IT systems, are already underway to respond to some challenges like bottlenecks in the SCM processes that have resulted in not achieving some of the targets.
Of concern to the Members of Parliament was the low expenditure pattern on Departmental construction projects which was perceived as having negative impact on the service delivery and job creation. In response, the department pointed out to the long timelines in sites clearance processes by the municipalities before the construction could begin and the poor performance by contractors once the job has begun. Processes of ensuring closer monitoring of project implementation have been put in place and contractors are being put on terms to enforce performance including where appropriate, putting them on mora and executing the DPW’s rights of charging them with penalties.
Enquiries:
Thami Mchunu
National Department of Public Works
Cell: 079 519 6997
