The PSC’s Public Administration Monitoring and Evaluation System First Consolidated Report 12 Nov 2003

2 Structure of Presentation Introduction and Background to Project Purpose of the Public Administration M & E System Unpacking the Nine Principles Conclusions

3 Background to Project The PSC’s Public Administration System Built up in phases: Scoping exercise NC pilot Initial round in 2002/3 included research in seven nat depts and seven prov depts in three provinces This report is an overview of the first 14 research projects

4 Purpose of the Public Admin M & E System Contribute to improved government and service delivery Problems are identified, priority areas are communicated, good practice is noted Departments reflect on own performance BUT: –Value and acceptance of findings and recommendations remains a concern

5 Assessment Framework How is it packaged? SA Constitution lists 9 principles that should govern our PS Assessing Departmental adherence to these principles forms the framework –A high std of prof ethics must be promoted –Efficient, economic and effective use of resources –Public administration must be development oriented –People’s needs must be responded to and the public must be encouraged to participate in policy making –Accountability; Transparency; Good HRM and career development practices; Representivity

6 The underlying programme logic Overall result: Better governance and service delivery in South Africa Problems are addressed Achievements are affirmed and promoted Departments focus on priority areas Learning from Good practice examples takes place Problem areas identified Good practice by others is identified and promoted Priority areas in public administration Are communicated Departments reflect on their own performance Public service monitoring FOLLOW UP: REPORTING:

7 Professional Ethics System Checks: –How cases of misconduct are handled Findings: –Basic infrastructure for promoting a high standard of professional ethics has been created BUT it is still rudimentary and not yet fully effective

8 Professional Ethics Strategy for improvement: –Depts need to develop a link to the National Anti-Corruption Strategy –Capture ethics-related processes and procedures in manuals and guidelines –Improve record keeping –Shorten the time of handling cases of misconduct

9 Efficiency, economy and effectiveness System Checks: –Expenditure is as budgeted –Programmes are implemented as planned Findings: –National depts are generally spending within their targets, although in some instances variations were quite high. –In provinces, while expenditure is more or less on target, there are more serious concerns around alignment of departmental objectives with strategic priorities. –Programmes are generally being implemented as planned

10 Efficiency, economy and effectiveness Strategies for improvement: –Research shows that the PS is starting to overcome its difficulties in spending funds BUT: –Management reporting systems in both national and prov depts are unimpressive and can be improved –Prov depts need support in strategic planning processes –Training will be required: Key management concepts not well understood (outputs, outcomes, activities, objectives, etc)

11 Development Orientation System Checks: –Programmes targeting poverty are in place and are successful –Beneficiaries participate in project design –Good project management standards are maintained –Poverty alleviation projects and programs are integrated into local development plans

12 Development Orientation Findings: –Most departments implement programmes that either directly or indirectly seek to alleviate poverty. –Water Affairs and Forestry and Agriculture are succeeding admirably in drawing a pro-poor, developmental approach into their core business strategy. –PROBLEMS: –Generally accepted development management principles are not implemented. –Generally prov depts slower to support or undertake such projects

13 Development Orientation Strategies for improvement: –Absence of a single, national social development strategy is felt by depts –Project management manuals and info systems must be more widely available –Institutional learnings need to be captured and shared

14 Impartiality and Fairness System Checks: –Compliance with the Administrative Justice Act: Prior notice of the nature and purpose of admin action is provided Opportunities are provided for people affected by admin action to make representations Clear statements are provided on admin actions Departmental policy for responding to requests for the provision of reasons for admin decisions is in place Request for reasons are properly processed Reasons provided for decisions are fair and reasonable

15 Impartiality and Fairness Findings: –Performance by Depts is disappointing –In most instances, low level of awareness of the Act –Few efforts to ensure compliance –Few depts have provided training to their staff –Almost none have amended business processes specifically in order to comply

16 Impartiality and Fairness Strategies for improvements: –Widespread need for training and increased awareness of the Act and its requirements is needed –More effort is needed to monitor compliance with this Act by the Dept of Justice and Constitutional Dev –Need for a National campaign?

17 Public Participation in Policy Making System Checks: –Policy on public participation is formally stated –A system for soliciting public inputs is effectively implemented –All policy inputs from the public are acknowledged and formally considered Findings: –Most depts have a formal commitment BUT this is not translated into formal policies and procedures. –However, in some depts eg Justice and Constitutional Dev, consultation does take place regularly despite the absence of a written policy. –DWAF has a well-structured and useful Guide.

18 Public Participation in Policy Making Strategies for improvement: –Strategic direction and executive leadership is required to ensure that there is formal interest in community views, policies and procedures in place –DPSA to lead process? –Good practice needs to be shared more widely (DWAF)

19 Accountability System Checks: –The Auditor General’s assessment of financial controls conclude that they are adequate and effective –Fraud prevention plans are in place and implemented –Key staff for ensuring implementation of fraud prevention plans are in place and operational –Fraud prevention plans are based on a thorough risk assessment

20 Accountability Findings: –Most nat depts appear to have solid internal control systems –In many instances fraud prevention plans had just recently been adopted and are in the process of being rolled out –Performance by provinces is less satisfactory –In many instances the Auditor-General has issued qualified audit reports with the lack of internal controls a common concern –In some instances fraud prevention plans are not in place

21 Accountability Strategies for improvement: –National depts are more advanced in addressing this area, but prov depts generally appear to need extensive support and assistance. –Building provincial accountability structures and systems will clearly be a long-term process that needs to be tackled in a systematic and sustained manner –Financial capacity programmes should be accelerated –Consider accreditation for Public Service Financial managers

22 Transparency System Checks: –Compliance to Treasury-prescribed standards for compiling of Annual Reports –Reporting on performance against predetermined objectives –Quality of the reports

23 Transparency Findings: –Annual Reports have improved in recent years BUT many depts do not systematically report on their results in achieving strategic objectives –Annual Reports of Depts of Agric and Social Dev of a very high standard (egs of best practice) –Prov dpets Ars are less succesful in meeting the prescribed standards

24 Transparency Strategies for Improvement: –Distinct improvement in annual reports is a positive trend that must be encouraged –Depts that do not meet the prescribed stds should be advised and assisted –Now that basic compliance is being addressed, more attention should be paid to the style and language of annual reports – simple and accessible

25 Good Human Resource Management Practices System Checks: –Whether vacant posts are filled in a timely manner –Implementation of the Skills Development Act: A skills development plan is in place Activities planned for are implemented Results achieved through skills development are monitored and recorded

26 Good Human Resource Management Practices Findings: –Most nat depts have recruitment policies and procedures in place –However, there are high vacancy rates –Skills dev plans generally adopted but in many instances implementation had not commenced –Prov depts are less effective in managing recruitment processes –In some instance, take very long to fill posts –Also less effective in implementing skills development plans, with many depts having no plan in place

27 Good Human Resource Management Practices Strategies for improvement: –Policy and procedure issues need to be addressed especially at the prov level –Implementation of skills development strategies need improvement –Should be a systematic, widespread assessment and general upgrade

28 Representivity System Checks: –Whether depts are representative of the SA people and diversity management measures are implmented Findings: PS is successful in overcoming racial imbalances in a fairly short space of time BUT Attracting and retaining women into senior posts remains a challenge Depts are finding it difficult to meet their disability targets. Few prov depts have diversity management measures in place

29 Representivity Strategies for improvement: –Attracting and retaining disabled people is an area that needs dedicated attention –Depts should prioritise recruiting and retaining women in senior managerial levels –Diversity management is an area that is relatively underdeveloped and needs to be better promoted

30 Conclusions Need for a government wide M & E framework National depts –Research results depict a diverse and complex PS –Appear to be performing better than prov counterparts –Closer compliance to prescribed stds Provincial depts –Tend to be large –Are often in need of support and development both in their management and delivery of core services Using research findings in a constructive and positive way

31 Conclusions Using research findings in a constructive and positive way –To be valuable and useful, findings and recommendations must be taken up or alternatives put in place –Not clear whether depts are using the research findings –Need for a better and sustained relationship between the depts and researchers