DPME reflects on performance in implementing the 2019-2014 Strategic Plan
The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), today, 1 March 2024, briefed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation on performance in implementing the Department’s 2019-2024 Strategic Plan.
The DPME presentation was made by Director General, Dr Robert Nkuna, who stressed that the Department remains committed to its mission to develop, coordinate evidence-based planning, monitoring and evaluation of developmental outcomes and impact.
The presentation narrated in detail, amongst others, the four priority outcomes of the Department which are:
1. An efficient and effective department characterised by good corporate governance and ethical leadership.
2. Long and medium-term development agenda is institutionalized into a functional, integrated government planning system.
3. Government priorities monitored and evaluated for improved accountability, service delivery and evidence-informed policymaking.
4. Improved contribution of society in the implementation of the NDP/MTSF priorities of the National Development Plan (NDP) or Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF).
Pertaining to the first outcome, Dr Nkuna, informed the Committee that since establishment and duration of the strategic planning cycle (2020-2025), the DPME obtained consecutive clean audit outcomes from the Auditor General of South Africa.
The Director General said outputs achieved for the second outcome entailed:
- Development of Revised Framework for Strategic Plans and APPs (2019) to regulate institutional planning systems.
- Developed a Policy Framework for Integrated Planning that was approved by cabinet Sept 2022.
- Development Planning Framework Bill integrating public comments and other inputs based on extensive consultation.
- Initiate institutional planning framework for planning for 7th administration for 2024/25 and 2025-2030.
- Annual Budget Prioritisation Framework developed to outline and to guide planning and budgeting since 2019-to date.
Reflecting on outcome three, Dr Nkuna said from 2019 to 2024, the DPME produced bi-annually reports intended to monitor- ing and reviewing of government performance against of MTSF and the seven priorities of the Sixth Administration. In this regard, specific monitoring was conducted with the focus on:
- Implementation of the GVB-F National Strategic Plan and submitting a status report to the Presidency;
- Development and implementation of the new National Food and Nutrition Security Plan 2024-2029;
- Development of Government-wide intervention Strategy and Operation Phakisa Electronic Monitoring and Reporting Tool;
- Development of a concept note and business case for a gov- ernment-wide electronic monitoring system; and
- Rapid assessment of dysfunctional municipalities.
On the fourth outcome, Dr Nkuna highlighted that the National Planning Commission conducts a national programme that brings together the different stakeholders for engagement and consultation. Presenting on the DPME’s overall performance over the years, Dr Nkuna revealed that performance achieve- ments against the Annual Performance Plan (APP) targets showed an upward trajectory from 82% in the 2019/2020 financial year to 95% in the 2022/2023 financial year, which represents a 13% improvement.
Over and above the four outcomes, the DPME intervened, albeit adhoc, to assist all spheres of government. These interventions include participating, monitoring and producing reports on the country’s integrated response to Covid-19 as well monitoring Covid-19 vaccination sites. The DPME in collaboration with the KZN Provincial government was part of the team overseeing the interventions for the displaced people that were affected by the April and May 2022 disasters.
Dr Nkuna further indicated that, the DPME is at an advanced stage in completing the 30-year review report on South Africa’s democracy, which is scheduled for release this year. “Given the resources we have, we are also preparing for the next planning cycle and to monitor what transpires during the election periods,” he said.
Media enquiries:
Mr. Lawrence Ngoveni
Cell: 082 824 3060
E-mail: Lawrence.Ngoveni@dpme.gov.za
