E Molewa: North West Premier's Office Prov Budget Vote 2004/2005

Budget speech by the Premier of North West, Mrs BEE Molewa, North West Legislature
29 June 2004

INTRODUCTION

Honourable Speaker,
Honourable Members,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

Since our decision in 1999 to "strengthen the centre", the Office of the Premier's ability to coordinate and facilitate the implementation of government programmes has been greatly enhanced.

We have succeeded in placing the Office of Premier at the apex of government processes. In addition we have made significant progress in building capacity within the Office.

Now, more that ever before the Office is in a better position to execute its strategic mandate of providing leadership, direction, support and intervention to ensure effective and efficient implementation of government programmes.

The work done to strengthen the Office is but one of the many success of our first decade of freedom. It is a result of hard work and dedication by men and women whose only motivation is to see an improvement in the lives of the people of our province.

Because of its enhanced stature and the commitment of its staff and management, the Office has achieved many strategic goals over and above those it set for itself during the 2003/2004 Budget Vote.

More importantly, through its work over the years, the Office has laid a firm basis upon which future challenges can be tackled.

It is for this reason that we approach the future with confidence that the goal of building a better province - a province of our dreams is now firmly within reach.

REVIEW OF 2003/2004

Honourable Members, I stand before you in this august House to give:

To table before the House for approval the estimates of revenue and expenditure for the Office of the Premier for the year ending 31 March, 2005;
A report back on some of the key and significant achievements of the various Programmes of the Office of the Premier; and
The Outlook for 2004/2005.

The Office will, in due course, submit to this House an annual report detailing all of our achievements as well as challenges.

The Ten Year Review Report, which reviews the progress made in the North West Province during the past 10 years of freedom and democracy, has been drafted and circulated to all provincial Departments for their comments and input. This report, once printed, will be circulated to this House and all relevant stakeholders, both provincially and nationally.

Honourable Speaker, I am able to report that the Office achieved the following targets during the past year in line with the commitment we made in our 2003 Vote Speech:

The White Paper on Traditional Leadership and Institutions was finalised. Our Province, especially the House of Traditional Leadership immensely contributed to the process.
Following this process the Traditional Leadership and Governance Bill is now before the National Assembly. My Office is leading the process of coordinating Provincial inputs.
We have identified the Greater Taung Municipality as our rural development node and Mafikeng Local Municipality as our urban development node.
Over and above the projects previously reported to this House about the Kgalagadi Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme, during this year, we established the Kgalagadi Human Resource and Development Trust. This Trust is for Human Resource Development in the node.
The Provincial Integrated Disability Strategy has been reviewed.
The Provincial Gender Strategy and its implementation matrix were adopted in August 2003. The Provincial Government Departments are now charged with ensuring its implementation.
The North West Youth Commission was successfully restructured to ensure efficiency.
The Provincial Human Resource Management Forum in the Province is being established within a newly adopted framework.
The Office has successfully implemented the decentralisation of the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and Organisational Development (OD) unit to all Departments. To this end the outsourcing guidelines for these two services has been adopted and implemented by all Provincial Departments.
The Provincial Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) have been adopted. This will lead to Improvements in the way Performance Management and Development is done.
The Office held a successful workshop with the purpose of developing a Human Resource Development Strategy with all the relevant stakeholders. The Draft Human Resource Development Strategy will be finalised during this financial year.
The Provincial Skills Plan, Sector Skills Plans, Workplace Skills Plans and Employment Equity Plan were developed. These tools will now enable the Office to monitor, evaluate and implement the Human Resource Policy of government.
The Province successfully implemented the Public Service Bargaining Council Resolution 7 of 2002. Both the Provincial Government and organised Public Sector Labour in the Province was involved in the process. We are currently developing a Social Plan in order to address the plight of excess staff.
Phase two of strengthening the capacity for Project Managers, both within the Office and across Departments, has been completed. The Project Management unit in the Office is now operational.
The North West Research Coordinating Committee is now fully operational. The Office is supporting this committee through its Research Directorate.
The Provincial Batho Pele Service Delivery research study was commissioned. However, the Office has had to review the mandate of the research team. This milestone will be finalised in the current financial year.
A holistic approach to the development of rural communities within the context of spatial distribution of small villages and settlements, especially Mayaeyane Village, is continuing.
A litigation policy has been developed and all Departments are in the process of implementing it.
An information manual in accordance with the Promotion of Access to Information Act and Promotion of Administrative Justice Act has been developed. The Office has also appointed an Information Officer who ensures compliance with the two Acts.
The Premier's Humanitarian Fund has been legally established. The Fund is operational and has helped us make strategic interventions whenever necessary in accordance with the specific mandate of the fund.
The Directory of Service of the Office has been finalised, and distributed to customers and stakeholders. This has assisted in the Office to aligning itself to the Batho Pele principles as required by Government.
The logistical requirements for launching three Multi Purpose Community Centres (MPCCs) have been finalised. These MPCCs will soon be operational in Morokweng, Tshedimosetso and Tshidilamolomo.

Honourable Speaker, over and above these achievements that we committed to in our 2003 Vote Speech, the Office has been able to successfully implement the following:

Coordinate the implementation of a project aimed at recruiting and deploying Community Development Workers. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) learners in the Province are part of the Community Development Workers Learnership programme.
The Office coordinated the Ten years of Democracy and Freedom celebrations.
The Executive Council (EXCO) Support Directorate made substantial improvements in terms of the general quality of documentation produced (minutes, submissions and reports from EXCO Committees to the Executive Council). The quality of documents produced is consistent in terms of correctness, accuracy and professional appearance. This was a special focus area in terms of our internal service delivery improvement programme and through this we have delivered on our mandate to provide professional administrative and secretarial support services to the EXCO and Its structures.
Special focus was also placed on the improvement in the quality of submissions prepared by Departments for consideration by EXCO Its structures. Presentations were also made to Departments on issues relating to the structure and functioning of the EXCO and the Executive Technical structures, the Cluster system and the EXCO Procedural Manual and its relevance to Departments.
Three Cluster Secretaries were dedicated to a specific Cluster. This brought about consistency in the quality of work and support provided and made a substantial contribution to the general improvement in the quality of support provided.
We have stabilised staff turnover in the Office of the Premier.

Honourable Speaker, during the year important breakthroughs have been made in the following:

We have placed the Greater Mafikeng Development and Growth Programme on the Provincial Project Register in order to assist Departments with policy and technical implementation where necessary;
A Poverty Relief programme has been also been placed on the Project Register to assist departments with the formulation of priority projects;

OUTLOOK FOR 2004/2005

Honourable Speaker, I will now outline the objectives that the Office will work towards achieving in the current financial year. A substantial number of these objectives are derived from the State of the Province Address presented to this House on the 28th of May 2004.

Our objectives for the current financial year are:

1. Preparing for the provincial Growth and Development Summit whose main objective is to facilitate and streamline the implementation of the outcomes of the National Growth and Development Summit.
2. Co-ordinating the process of taking EXCO to the people i.e. "Road Shows throughout the Province to mobilise understanding and support for a People's Contract. Our target this year is to visit all 24 municipalities in the province.
3. Facilitating and Seeking partnership agreements between provincial departments and the private sector to secure investments for the Province.
4. Continuing to build capacity within the House of Traditional Leadership. This will assist in the Dikgosi to do their work in communities.
5. Coordinating the participation of all Departments in the Expanded Public Works Programme and to monitor its progress.
6. Ensuring the participation of SMMEs and local businesses in key anchor projects of the Provincial Spatial Development initiatives.
7. Engaging national parastatals such as Eskom and Telkom so that they identify with targets set by the Provincial government.
8. Ensuring that government supported institutions such as Invest North West, and the North West Parks and Tourism Board align their plans and activities to provincial targets and priorities.
9. Ensuring that resolutions taken at the 2003 Provincial Summit on Youth empowerment are implemented.
10. Playing an oversight role to ensure that Departments engage financial institutions and potential donors to assist, in particular, emerging entrepreneurs.
11. Initiating the process of putting plans in place for the development of Provincial Youth and Women cooperatives.
12. Through the North West Premier's Coordinating Council and the Inter-Governmental Relations unit, the Office will continue to strengthen links between the various spheres of government.
Through the same fora, Madame Speaker,
13. We will assist and coordinate capacity building programmes for Municipalities. This will ensure effective and professional delivery of services to the people of the North West.
14. We will ensure the acceleration of the appointment of Community Development Workers to assist in the implementation of programmes aimed at building capacity of local government structures, as well as fast tracking government delivery.
15. We will continue to ensure that our public servants abide by the principles of Batho Pele. This, we will do through training and capacity building programmes, as well as recognition initiatives, that offer incentives, such as the Premier's Awards.
16. The Office will continue to coordinate those programmes aimed at affirming the Youth, Women and People with Disabilities. This will be done through accelerating the implementation of the Provincial Integrated Gender Strategy; the establishment of a Provincial Disability Forum; and the development of a data base which will assist Departments and parastatals in addressing the challenge of youth unemployment and skills shortage.
17. The Office will revive the Provincial Anti-Racism Forum to assist with the building of bridges of unity and reconciliation among the people of the Province.

Honourable Speaker, over and above the objectives we have outlined, which are related to what I said in my State of the Province Address, the Office will also pursue a number of other objectives aimed at facilitating the implementation of Government programmes.

These are:

The provision of general orientation and induction for new Members of the Executive Council (MECs) and Heads of Department (HODs) in as far as the functioning of EXCO, its technical committees and the various Cluster Committees. Such orientation and induction would also be extended to any new support staff that may be appointed for MECs and HODs.

Streamlining the integrated Cluster system in order to facilitate coordination in respect of inter-departmental planning and budgeting.
Continue to Monitor and evaluate the implementation of government's programmes as well as the impact these are having on the lives of communities.
To continue with Project Management Capacity Building for the Office as well as all Provincial Departments.
To ensure that the Provincial Project Management Information System (proMIS) and the Nerve Centre Projects are fully implemented.
To promote the value and potential contribution of the North West Barometer to a wider spectrum of clients.
Completing the Sustainable Development Indicators project undertaken in close cooperation with the Manitoba Province in Canada and to ensuring that its outputs are incorporated into improved reporting and monitoring systems.
Guiding and assisting the North West Research Coordinating Council to promote the North West 2014 goals and objectives and monitor the application of its underlying assumptions and conditions.
Improving the availability, credibility and reliability of provincial statistics and ensuring that they become more user-friendly.
Integrating the Provincial Population Unit into the Chief Directorate: Policy Management.

PROGRAMME 1: PROVINCIAL MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT

This programme is aimed at supporting the Premier and the Director General in the following roles:

Management of the Premier's political programme through administrative, appointments, parliamentary, protocol and secretariat services within the Private Office.
Preparations of annual and monthly schedules of the Premier's work as well as the formulation of plans and preparations of the Premier's activities.
The professional management of the Office of the Director General to achieve efficient and effective administrative leadership of the Province.
Strategic planning and management.
Supporting the Director General in executing functions in compliance with the requirements of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
Streamlining the process of decision-making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Ensuring efficient communication and dissemination of information.
Supporting the Premier in the President's Coordinating Council.
Facilitating the implementation of the Minimum Information Security Standards.
Providing Secretarial and support services to the Executive Council, Executive Council Committees, Extech, and Extech Committees.

Honourable Speaker to ensure that these functions are executed efficiently and effectively,

I would like to request this august House to approve an amount of R 29,602,000 distributed to the following sub-programmes:

Director General Support: 8 845 000
Premier Support: 7 429 000
Executive Council Support: 2 791 000
Security: 1 766 000
Finance and Administration: 8 771 000
Total: 29 602 000

PROGRAMME 2: CORPORATE SUPPORT SERVICES

This programme seeks to provide efficient provincial corporate human resource services aimed at achieving the following:

The promotion of human resource development as a priority and adherence to the Skills Development Act.
Facilitating the drafting and implementation of new human resources policies.
Ensuring that all approved Provincial Human Resource Management policies are evaluated and reviewed if necessary.
Advising and ensuring the implementation of Employee Assistance Programmes, policies, procedures and strategies.
Coordinating labour relations programmes.
Developing a framework that regulates the proper management of disputes.
Managing and proposing Organisational Development interventions to ensure more effective service delivery.

For this programme, I request that an amount of R 26 812 000 be approved for allocation to the sub-programmes indicated below.

Management Support: 947 000
Employee Assistance Programme: 3 126 000
Labour Relations: 1 998 000
Human Resource Management: 5 794 000
Human Resource Development: 12 258 000
Organisational Development:2 530 000
HIV/AIDS: 159 000
Total: 26 812 000

PROGRAMME 3: LEGAL SERVICES

This programme ensures the coordination of legal services in the province through the provision of a comprehensive legal advisory service to all Departments within the Provincial government.

Specifically through this programme the following is intended to be achieved:

Amendments to existing Acts.
Assistance to Legislature Committees.
Legally sustainable suspensions and dismissals.
Legal opinions, agreements drafted or perused

For this programme I request this august House to approve an amount of R 8 391 000 for allocation to the following sub-programmes.

Management Support: 1 121 000
Legislation: 1 187 000
Litigation: 1 209 000
Legal Services: 1 177 000
Investigations: 3 697 000
Total: 8 391 000

PROGRAMME 4: COMMUNICATIONS

Effective dialogue between government and the people is central to ensuring that ours continues to be a truly participatory democracy. This is the broad mandate of the Communications programme.

In carrying out its mandate, this programme is tasked with the achievement of the following strategic objectives:

Ensuring that the provincial government has capacity to communicate both internally and externally.
Coordinating provincial events.
Establishing Multi-purpose Community Centres in the Province.
Undertaking communication audits

For this programme, I request Honourable Members to approve an amount of R14 172 000 to for the sub-programmes indicated below.

Management Support: 958 000
Publications: 4 808 000
Regional Liaison: 5 615 000
Media Liaison: 2 791 000
Total: 14 172 000

PROGRAMMES 5: GOVERNANCE AND SPECIAL PROGRAMMES

Through this programme the Office executes the following responsibilities:

Coordinates all intergovernmental processes.
Coordinates and manages urban and rural development initiatives.
Coordinates gender, youth and disability programmes.
Provides support to the institution of Traditional Leadership and ensures the implementation of the relevant legislation.

For this Programme, I request this House to approve an amount of R48 807 000 for allocation into the following sub-programmes.

Management Support: 1 806 000
Urban and Rural Development: 1 388 000
Intergovernmental Relations: 2 916 000
Special programmes: 5 553 000
Traditional Leadership: 31 468 000
Youth Support: 5 676 000
Total: 48 807 000

PROGRAMME 6: PROVINCIAL POLICY MANAGEMENT

Through this programme the Office intends to achieve the following:

To review and coordinate provincial policy and planning.
To monitor and evaluate provincial achievements and performance.
Establish provincial project management oversight and capacity building.
To collate and disseminate provincial geographic and spatial information and knowledge.
Coordination of provincial research programmes through the North West Research Coordinating Committee (NWRCC).
To support provincial departments and policy makers in integrating population factors in development planning.

For this programme, I ask this House to approve an amount of R19 064 000 to be allocated as reflected below.

Management Support: 1 933 000
Project Management: 3 282 000
Provincial Policy and Planning: 3 861 000
Monitoring and Evaluation: 2 333 000
Information Management: 2 559 000
Research & Population Unit: 5 096 000
TOTAL: 19 064 000

SUMMARY OF PRESENTATION:

Programme 1: Provincial Management Support and Administration 29 602 000
Programme 2: Corporate Support Services: 26 812 000
Programme 3: Legal Services: 8 391 000
Programme 4: Communications: 14 172 000
Programme 5: Governance and Special Programmes: 48 807 000
Programme 6: Policy Management: 19 064 000
Total: 146 848 000

CONCLUSION

Honourable Speaker, the Office of the Premier is ready and able to lead the offensive against the most pressing challenges of our time namely: poverty and joblessness.

We have built the necessary infrastructure and have the required capacity to ensure the accelerated implementation of our programmes to expand the frontiers of human fulfilment and build a better life for all.

I wish to also take this opportunity to convey my appreciation to the staff and management in the Office for their commitment to service delivery.

I have no doubt that the cadre of civil servants we have in the Office, will confront the challenges we face with the same dedication and commitment they have been known for, for many years.

Honourable Speaker, I hereby place before this House for approval the estimates of revenue expenditure for the Office of the Premier, totalling R146 848 000 for the year ending 31 March 2005.

I thank you.

Issued by: Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government
29 June 2004