Browsing by Author "Orlandi, Nelia"

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    Administrative reforms required for the successful implementation of the National Development Plan
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Orlandi, Nelia; Rabie, Babette; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY : Challenges with the successful implementation of policies, strategies and plans have been identified as reasons for South Africa not reducing poverty, unemployment and inequality. The aim of this study is to identify the obstacles that prevent successful policy implementation in South Africa. The focus is specifically to identify the possible constraints that could prevent the successful implementation of the South African National Development Plan (NDP), vision 2030. Policy implementation has been identified in the literature as one of the key elements of public administration. Over time, public administration went through a series of reforms, specifically to search for effective ways to make government work better and more cost effectively. Apart from the role of performance measurement in government’s effectiveness, the focus of reforms shifted to performance-based management as a whole. To ensure effective and efficient service delivery it is important to establish the key factors influencing the success of policy implementation. The study of policy implementation is grounded in the disciplines of public sector management and policy science. It comprises well-defined linear steps within a broader economic, political and social environment that, if taken care of, should lead to a sound policy process being put in place. All government activities must reflect and align to the objectives of government policies. The challenge, however, is to implement the mechanisms properly to reap the benefits of efficiency and effectiveness and to be able to evaluate success or failure. This research proposes a model to evaluate the success or failure of the implementation of the policy process. A model was developed, based on the key public sector reforms, mechanisms and key factors that influence successful policy implementation. The proposed model builds on previous models and frameworks and considers content, causality, context, capacity and control as critical elements influencing policy implementation. It is structured to assist policy implementation analysts to assess policy implementation over the entire policy process. The practical application of the model was tested on the South African NDP. The application of the model to the NDP identified slow progress, challenges with the design and mechanisms as blockages for the implementation of the NDP. Slow progress on the implementation of the NDP necessitated a more detailed analysis of the mechanisms introduced for the implementation of the NDP. Throughout the analysis, the complexity of the mechanism has been identified as a challenge for the successful implementation of the NDP. A revised operating model is therefore recommended for the implementation of the NDP. This revised model provides a simplified mechanism that fully integrates the NDP priorities into the standard processes of government. The proposed mechanism replaces the complex medium-term strategic framework (in its current format) and programme of action reporting process with a more integrated system. The adoption of a more refined framework, based on the proposed operating model for the development of the next five-year implementation plan of the NDP, should eliminate some of the blockages caused by the content and causality elements of the current NDP implementation plans. Despite the recommendation for a revised mechanism, a range of recommendations, based on the findings from the analyses on the current mechanism, have been made. The recommendations start with the development of well described performance indicators and targets. The next set of recommendations relates to the adoption of a more refined model for the implementation plans for the NDP and, therefore, the better integration of the NDP into the existing activities of departments in all spheres of government. Although many of the NDP initiatives relate to existing activities that can be accommodated in the existing budget programme structures of government, the review of all budget programme structures, to provide for the relevant resources and capacity, is recommended. This recommendation refers to all levels of government to ensure the correct classification of budget programmes to accommodate the NDP outcomes and activities to which funds must be directed. A further recommendation includes the consideration of combining other forms of budgeting selectively within the programme performance management system adopted by the South African government. To improve the relationship between planning and budgeting, government should also consider the review of the institutional arrangements of the planning, budgeting and monitoring and evaluation components. This is not just in terms of the NDP/long-term planning, but also in respect of medium- and short-term planning, reporting and monitoring. The last set of recommendations emphasises the role of communication and control when services are decentralised or, in the case of South Africa, the use of public entities. The main recommendations include: The identification of key relevant stakeholders as opposed to using multiple actors responsible for the implementation of national outcomes. Giving greater responsibility to programme managers linked to a public entity and at the same time holding them accountable for the monitoring of the strategic and financial management of public entities. Holding programme managers responsible for communicating and the monitoring of the requirements of public entities (that provide services on behalf of government) in terms of the implementation of the national outcomes.