KZN Public Works Review Its Strategies As The Current 5-Year Administration Term Closing Down
On Friday, 5 October 2018 the Head of Department, Dr Gaster Shapley, Management and Officials from Head Office and Regions gathered at Oliver Tambo House Auditorium to review the current strategies and look at the Departmental performance thus far. Setting the tone for the gathering, the HoD said - "the workshop is about reviewing the 2018/19 performance while focusing on the 2019/20 planning". He also said it is important for the department to "select its administrative targets for the new term of office and for the optimum delivery through empowerment and transparency in operations".
The HoD highlighted the following as “game changers” for effective service delivery and transformation:
- Improving efficiency within the administration by reorganising operations,
- Ensure employment equity biased towards women and disabled applicants,
- Enhance technical and professional Human Resource capacity for Immovable Asset Management (IAM) and Infrastructure Maintenance and Technical Support (IMTS),
- Making Radical Economic Transformation (RET) an operational culture,
- Improve the audit outcomes and institutionalise risk management,
- Integrated planning to facilitate planning, programme development, sustainable utilisation of assets and effective and efficient service delivery.
Programme Facilitator, Chief Director: Corporate Services, Mr Phiweyo Duma said it was critical to focus on challenges and provide strategic solutions to overcome those challenges moving forward.
The presentation by Mrs Jean Makhaye, Director for Strategic Analysis focused on the SWOT analysis outcomes conducted to identify positive and negative factors that influence the department’s performance from an internal and external perspective in order to identify strengths and opportunities while determining strategies to minimize weaknesses in order to avoid threats. Mrs Makhaye also presented the 2019/20 Departmental Annual Performance Plan.
Mr Thulebona Duma: Director for Organisational Development gave an overview presentation about the outcome of the Client Satisfaction Survey, which indicated that despite positive responses received, in general, Client Departments were not entirely satisfied about the services rendered by the KZN Public Works. This “perception” according to the HoD could be corrected by engaging client HoD’s on one-one meetings “to re-establish the relationship and correct any areas requiring attention and changing the delivery approach to offer cost effective, efficient and empowered service”, he said.
Director for Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Zamo Zwane presented the performance information analysis for the 1st and 2nd Quarter of 2018/19 with positive pockets of excellence for various programmes with EPWP exceeding its performance targets. Despite these achievements, Mr Zwane’s presentation provided an overall programme performance of 48%, which would be improved as the financial year progresses.
Enterprise Risk and Integrity Management Deputy Director, Mr Pooven Govender presented on the Audit Risk: Past and Future Direction in which he highlighted risk management processed such as Risk Management Principles, objectives and advantages for an organizational in implementing an effective Risk Management process and how it can be integrated into the Department planning processes. He also dealt with a variety of Risk Assessment findings –including the root causes and over-emphasised the creation of the risk culture with the department.
Director for Supply Chain Management, Mr Pravesh Ballaram’s presentation focused on SCM Transformation Agenda focusing on the Standard for Infrastructure Procurement and Delivery Management (SIPDM), which covers the supply chain management system for infrastructure delivery – including infrastructure and maintenance delegations relating to tender processes. He called for “innovative project planning, competitive bidding and the use of different procurement approaches to achieve more targets” while emphasising the utilisation of Eyesizwe Contractor Development Project Contractors within geographic locations and surrounding areas.
A presentation by DDG: IMTS, Mr Thulani Mdadane was on progress on KwaZulu - Natal Strategic Infrastructure Development Agency (SIDA) as per the February 2017 PEC Lekgotla resolution for the KZN Departments of Transport and Public Works to explore the possibility of establishing a Provincial-owned construction entity. The main objective of establishing SIDA is to augment the capacity of infrastructure Departments to effectively deliver projects in a well-coordinated and holistic manner and to provide technical support and expertise for policy direction, project preparation and contract oversight.
According to the DDG’s presentation, progress have already been made in that the draft concept framework document have already been developed, presented and endorsed by both MEC’s for DPW and DOT. The presentation also indicated that among others the current legal consideration aspects undertaken to establish SIDA and the involvement of KZN Treasury for regulations and project cash injection. Mr Mdadane said extensive research and project review processes are at the advance stage to ensure a better model for KwaZulu-Natal is developed. He said this include comparative analysis with Independent Development Trust, Ithala Development, DOT’s Roads Agency and Property Management Trading Entity at National Department of Public Works.
The project has immediate milestones to be undertaken between October and December 2018 and there is a DDG -SIDA Champion identified to drive the process forward. Legal Services is currently reviewing a Draft SIDA Memorandum of Incorporation document as a critical work stream using DOT, NDPW, EDTEA, agencies as a model while the Provincial Treasury is currently adjudicating on the business case consultants.
These are the highlights of the Departmental Strategic Review session, which provided an overview performance and strategies for accelerating service delivery beyond 2019/20. Discussions held were positive and indicative of a functional organisation ready to improve on its actions and achieving on its targets for “greater efficiency, effectiveness and delivery.
