1. Opening the way through information - Vulindlela and HR information Portfolio Committee on Public Administration (National Parliament) 15 March 2001

2. Issues to address History and description of Vulindlela Vulindlela and HR information Supporting projects –National Minimum Information Requirements –Prescribed formats for annual reports Evaluation of the HR information available

3. Vulindlela - a short history Initiative of the National Treasury April 1997 - need for management statistics on personnel costs Production of monthly expenditure trends - evolution of the Early Warning System November 1997 - Minister of Finance requests the establishment of a central repository of financial and other information

4. History (continued) February 1998 - need for a public expenditure database to compile and analyse government finance statistics Vulindlela designed as the preferred central database that would meet the needs of the Treasury and other stakeholders –combine with the establishment of an Information Strategy Working Group (ISWG)

5. Description Data warehouse enveloping internal and external operational data systems Primary purpose is to provide management, policy and planning information Data extracted into the warehouse and transformed into meaningful information for decision-making

6. Description (continued) Extremely complex process –require high degree of specialist technical and business expertise –Need to address differences in operational systems, lack of standardisation and technology issues

7. Vulindlela Data Warehouse (currently on SAS software) PERSALFMSBAS Other systems Integration of data-sets (extraction and scrubbing)

8. Vulindlela supports:- Total re-classification of government expenditure to GFS standards In-year monitoring of expenditure against budgets Historical trend analysis (up to 5 years in some instances) Improved HR and personnel expenditure information

11. Vulindlela and HR Information Large volume of data (actual and potential) in PERSAL and financial systems Problems with operational systems:- –GIGO effect –Information is generated for operational reasons (e.g. temporary teachers) –People not using fields where there is no salary implication –Dramatic changes in HR policy from 1994

12. Other problems Limited value added to information –percentages, ratio’s and indices Lack of consolidation of information in multiple ways –development of the sector concept a key innovation Limited assessment of the story behind the number –limited benchmarking information

13. Other problems (2) Presentation of information not in a user- friendly format No consistency in presentation and methods of cleaning the data Finally, limited customisation of information products to different stakeholder or target groups –level of detail –look and feel

14. Products and target groups PERSAL system - HR practitioners Vulindlela HR report - Ministers and Heads of Department Vulindlela HR Bulletin - central policy departments Vulindlela system - power users Prescribed formats in annual reports - legislatures, media, and the public

15. Managerial Review & Oversight Public Service Regulations, 1999 –Unclear what was required –Difficulties in designing appropriate formats –Onerous requirements –Not aligned to other processes –not aligned to NMIR –legislative provisions did not facilitate easy modification based on changing needs

16. Towards prescribed formats Public Service Regulations, 2001 –Minister will issue prescribed formats at the start of the reporting period –Vulindlela system enables the generation of significant amounts of the information in the required format –Certainty, standardisation and greater transparency –better alignment with the budget documentation

17. Status Quo 2000/ 02 annual report –in terms of PSR, 1999 2001/ 02 annual report –prescribed formats as a stand-alone chapter to annual report –linked to Estimates of Expenditures –requesting feedback from producers and users of information

18. NMIR Public Service Regulations, 1999 –Part VII, H defines minimum information to be kept on each employee Need identified to:- –Refine, clarify and extend employee information required –Define minimum information for posts –Align Part Vii (H) with reporting requirements –Introduce a time-table for compliance

19. NMIR (2) Public Service Regulations, 2001 –Replaced list with a provision that the Minister will issue national Minimum Information Requirements –Include employees and posts Circular 4 of 2001 –specific and includes data standards –corrective step for the future –time-table for compliance (30 June 2001)

20. Empowerment through information See draft prescribed formats for details of the information to be covered in the oversight report

21. Reference documents DPSA circular - restoring the integrity of the appointments process Circular 4 of 2001 - National Minimum Information Requirements Prescribed formats for annual reports