Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
DPME Banner
​​​​​​​​​

Programme Director, Premier of North West Province, Mr Lazarus Mokgosi, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, MECs here present, President of SAAPAM, Prof. Kgothatso Shai, Board Members of SAAPAM, Dr Robert Nkuna Directors General DPME, National and Provincial Government Directors General, Chief Executive Officers of Government Entities, Senior and Government Officials, Principal and Vice-Chancellors, Distinguished Academics, Ladies and Gentlemen , Honoured Guests, Members of the Media ​

​​​​

​My clock permits me to say good evening to all…

Dumelang

Riperile

Goeie naand

Busuku obuhle

I am delighted to join you at this important conference hosted by the South African Association of Public Administration and Management popularly known as SAAPAM.

To be in the company of such esteemed academics, thinkers, thought leaders, intellectuals, innovators and dedicated public servants, is edifying and inspiring in many ways that transcends measurements.

 

The Conference is aptly THEMED – “POST APARTHEID" SOUTH AFRICA AT 30. MAKING SENSE OF THE PAST UNDERSTANDING THE PRESENT AND CHARTING THE FUTURE OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE STATE.

The renown poet, writer and politician, Pablo Neruda underscores the connection between past, present, and future in his poem "You're the Result of Yourself! Don't forget that the cause of your present is your past, as the cause of your future will be your present. This highlights the importance of understanding one's history to shape a better future.

South Africa's journey since the end of apartheid 30 years ago reflects significant progress alongside persistent challenges. Are there any lessons to be drawn from the 30 Year Review since the advent of democracy from a SAAPAM perspective? Where are the fault lines in our delivery pipeline? What policies must be jettisoned? what policies must be harnessed and consolidated?

 

The transition to democracy in 1994 marked a historic shift, enabling equal rights guaranteed by a progressive constitution. However, the legacy of apartheid remains evident, with stark racial inequalities in wealth, education, and employment still prevalent. As the country commemorates this milestone, it faces growing discontent over issues like unemployment, inequality, poverty, crime and corruption. Is SAAPMA strategically positioned to generate ideas and solutions that help us built a capable developmental state?

 

As we are gathering here in this fashion, I have no doubt in my mind that you have an appreciation of the political moment and circumstances prevailing in the internal and external environment in which you operate.

 Our country's political future and economic stability depends on diverse political parties that constituted the Government of National Unity (GNU) since June 2024.

At this hour of destiny, you are called upon to rebuild trust among our citizens, ensuring that every public servant embodies integrity, accountability and ethical leadership.

 

The challenges afflicting the South African society today requires a sense of urgency and agency that goes beyond our collective memory and common understanding as participants at this august Conference. It is a call to action! It is a call for active citizenship! It is clarion call to all men and women of goodwill to the frontline.

 

The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and SAAPAM has a long-standing relationship in the areas of Public Administration, Monitoring and Evaluation. As a knowledge generating department and reliable centre for information on government performance, the Department is constantly seeking to partner with relevant professional bodies and training institutions. Hence, in April 2023, the DPME formalised its collaboration with SAAPAM by entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

I am confident that the ideas that will be generated at this conference will assist in shaping the approach for development in this 7th administration. This conference takes plays as we chart the way forward in an effort to grow an inclusive economy, improve social wage and build a capable, ethical and developmental state.

These three priorities, which have been derived from the National Development Plan and inputs from the electorates, have been roundly adopted by this Government of National Unity and etched in the Statement of Intent.

 

The German Born Philosopher, economist, and revolutionary socialist of the 18th Century whose words resonates with the objectives of this Conference, once opined. “Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past. The tradition of all dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brains of the living. And just as they seem to be occupied with revolutionizing themselves and things, creating something that did not exist before, precisely in such epochs of revolutionary crisis they anxiously conjure up the spirits of the past to their service, borrowing from them names, battle slogans, and costumes in order to present this new scene in world history in time-honoured disguise and borrowed language."

 

It gives me great pleasure that the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) deemed it fit to enter into a partnership with the SAAPAM and agreed together with other partners to organise this conference. The information generated here at the conference will assist in the implementation of the Department's mandate. The DPME's role is to promote coherence in government through institutionalisation of planning, development of an integrated monitoring system, evaluation of critical government programmes to inform decision making.

 

The DPME has been entrusted with the responsibility to coordinate the development of the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2024 – 2029, which will be the five-year plan of this 7th Administration. The development of the MTDP is anchored on the following three priorities:

 

  • Priority 1: Inclusive growth and job creation,
  • Priority 2: Reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living,
  • Priority 3: Building a capable, ethical and developmental state

     

    Our intention is coordinate the development of a plan that will propel a rapid, inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

     

    We want to see a plan that encourages all stakeholders to invest more in people through education, skills development and affordable quality health care.

     

    This MTDP must assist government to contribute in building state capacity and create a professional, merit-based, corruption-free and developmental public service. The National Development Plan Vision 2030 envisages a state that is capable of playing a transformative and developmental role, requiring well-run and effectively coordinated state institutions, staffed by skilled public servants who are committed to the public good and capable of delivering consistently high-quality services for all South Africans, while prioritizing the nation's developmental objectives.

     

    We are encouraged because we have seen the 6th Administration pay more attention to strengthening law enforcement agencies to address crime, corruption and gender-based violence, as well as to reinforce national security capabilities.

    We want a plan that will succeed to assist government to reach all corners of society and leave no one behind.

    The successful implementation of the MTDP 2024 – 2029 will largely depend on these sustained collaborations across all the three spheres of government. It is imperative that we build on the progress we have made in the past 30 years to deepen democracy and improve people's lives.

     

The MTDP 2024 – 2029 will also be supported by an integrated and robust monitoring system to track in real-time progress in the implementation of key indicators and produce Bi-annual and mid-term reports to advice Cabinet and President on the performance of specific sectors. I am confident that as the department we will meet the timeframes as set by Cabinet that the MTDP should be finalised and adopted before the end of October 2024.

Efforts are being made to establish a dashboard that will give the President a line of sight on the performance of government. This will significantly assist in decision-making and ensure speedy resolution of bottlenecks in the implementation process.

 

In conclusion,

I want to say this is not just a conference but we are here to build as I wish you a success during your deliberations and look forward to robust engagements. I want urge all to participate and share ideas with the knowledge that this will help change people's lives.

"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it."

We will tackle corruption decisively and enhance the professionalization of our public sector. By investing in training through the National School of Government, we will cultivate leaders who prioritize service excellence and uphold the values of Batho Pele.

Together, let us forge a public service that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of our people.

 

I Thank You All

Asante Sana

Ndivhuwa

Enkosi

Siyabonga

Re a leboga


​​

​​​​​​​









Copyright © DPME     Terms & Conditions | Disclaimer | Legal | Privacy Policy | Webmaster