Presentation to Portfolio Committee

Department of Social Development

Presented by CEO – National Developent Agency

Delani Mthembu

1. PREAMBLE

2. BACKGROUND

4. MANDATE

3. APPROACH & PHILOSOPHY

5. STRATEGY

6. MTEF SINCE 2000

7. RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS AND ANALYSIS

8. PARTNERSHIPS

9. NDA COMPETENCY

10. CHALLENGES

11. 2003/4 PRIORITIES

12. WAY-FORWARD

• Vukuzenzele-Let us do it for ourselves "Arise and Act"
• Patriotism
• Stewardship
• Volunteerism and Service
• Economic Growth and Development
• Reconstruction and Development
• Social Equity
• Skills Enhancement and Development
• Good Governance
• Efficiency of Service Delivery

The establishment of the NDA was an out come of social dialogue between the Government, Civil Society, Business and Funding Agencies to ensure that a formal facilitative platform is created to support a development paradigm whose centerpiece is people driven in partnership with government.

In the context of this framework, Parliament passed the NDA Act no. 108 of 1998, taking into account the work that was already done by the RDP Office. The emphasis arising from the conception and evolution of the NDA as an institution is based on:

Dialogue with beneficiaries and strategic partners;

An evolving, innovative and dynamic poverty eradication strategy and process;

A growing and learning organizational development context;

An effective and efficient delivery plan.

• Funding

• Capacity Building

• Fundraising

• Research and Policy

• Policy Dialogue

• Impact Assessment

Vigorously conduct impact assessments on program activities of the NDA.

The successful implementation of the new strategic direction in terms of project funding will require the following implementation steps:

• Identification of macro projects and streamlining of micro projects.

• Positive outcomes in terms of the previous evaluations will then require a detailed implementation plan with well-defined and quantified deliverables and milestones.

1. Performing due diligence reviews prior to the funding being made available.
2. Performing independent audit reviews before the release of further tranches once the first tranche is released.
3. Performing final audit reviews before the closure of the projects.

The above processes are included in the project audit cycle for each project funded by the NDA.

Projected annual increase year on year for the next 4 years average about 6%.

Table 2:

As a premier partner to civil society and government, the NDA has forged partnerships with a whole range of important role players and stakeholders in the development sector. These partnerships are entered into with the NDA being clearly informed by its mandate and objectives as contained in the Act.

The basis for partnership is undoubtedly a necessary step for the NDA to achieve its objectives especially given the limited resources at its disposal; limited as opposed to the high demand placed on its door step by the society need – the need to provide a sustainable response to poverty eradication in South Africa.

The NDA’s strategic intent seeks to support government and civil society’s development action in a holistic way. This will be achieved through efforts that will put civil society at the centre of development and service delivery. The NDA policy framework ensures that the NDA resource base and influence pulls other partners in development to a set of common principles, agendas and objectives around poverty eradication.

The IT Service contributes indirectly by providing modern, reliable computer systems for all Directorates of the NDA. This in turn assists these Directorates in their aim to contribute to the mission of the NDA. In making services available to communities, the NDA has extended its technological infrastructure to all provinces. This process has necessitated the capacity building of NDA staff to equip them to make use of this technology. New accounting software "Great Plains Dynamics" has been implemented to allow for integrated services and eliminate duplication of work. The new accounting software provides Financial Management solutions amongst the key ones being; cost centre reporting, budgeting and production of monthly and annual reports.

As a link between the NDA, projects and other stakeholders, a call centre is fully operational and resident within the NDA to attend to queries and enquiries as well as status levels of projects. The number for the call centre is 0860 122 133.

The NDA has established a Business Process Improvement Unit to facilitate continuous improvement, integration, management of information and to supply chain management process.

A sector specialist unit has also been established to ensure that NDA enhances its intellectual capacity around Economic Development, Agriculture and Food Security, Health, Education and Entrepreneurship.

In the area of Project Management, the NDA competency is on Project Assessment and regular project visits as well as reports on project performances. Through monitoring & evaluation of projects, the element of risk is detected quite early. While through Impact Assesment the NDA is able ascertain the ramification of projects.

The decentralisation of the NDA to provinces makes accessibity to projects and beneficiaries convenient and without bureaucracy. All provinces have been demarcated into 5 regions to ensure accessibility and regular contact with projects on the ground.

The NDA has included in its Project Cycle, an element of Supply Chain Management with a view to ensure appropriate use of funds by Grantees thus ensuring their sustainability. Projects will be guaranteed quality products and Services through a Supplier database constituting credible Suppliers to source products and services from.

The process is two pronged in that, while it addresses the project needs, it also adresses BEE candidates that need to be developed in order to move to the accreditation level.

The NDA has embarked on a vigorous risk management programme to ensure that the NDA’s resources are spent expeditiously. In line with this, the Watchdog for Development ethics hotline has been established. It is envisaged that this line will be used by a number of entities in the development sector.

• Coordination and shared priorities, approaches and methodologies on all poverty programmes.
• Ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement on NDA’s Mandate

• Dealing with backlog left behind after the dissolution of the former Transitional National Development Trust (formerly dissolved March 2000) and the accounting for its Assets and Liabilities.
• Formulating a Partnership Charter that guides the NDA in building Partnerships with various stakeholders and facilitate policy engagement.
• NDA orgainsational development to meet its challenges,
• Managing diverse socio-political demands and competing expectations.
• Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS programmes into the NDA development activities.
• Decentralisation of the NDA and building an infrastructure to enable it to deliver its programmes.
• Streamlining projects funded locally and internationally, with no monitoring and evaluation, impact assessment and long-term follow-through and after care to ensure proper audit on social development projects.
• Enhancing capacity, expertise and strategic involvement on civil society organisations.
• Increase resources to meet the growing needs and expectations of the beneficiaries.
• Deal with Civil Society to encourage ownership, sustainability, social capacity, self reliance and entrepreneurship.

• Commission appropriate research that addresse development and policy gaps.
• Proactive and targeting special projects.
• Clustering and programming approach

• Encouraging Economic Development, Agric-Business, rural eco-tourism, entrepreneurship, micro-enterprises, food security and asset base of the poor.
• Alignment to ISRDP, URP, IDP and LED.
• Strengthening sector specialisation.

• Broader participation of the Private Sector through CSI,
• Streamlining governmet to government financial agreements targeting poverty eradication,
• Coordinating all poverty relief funds in the country to centralize accountability and enhance compact.
• Audit funding flow to enhance accountability and transparency.

• Capacity Building for staff and CSO.
• Leadership and Management Programme.
• Strategic research with HSRC, CCS, Universities and other research NGO’s.
• Establish an S A based poverty report and a data base for CSO’s
• Developing Community Development Workers, volunteer service corps and co-operatives.

• National and Provincial stakeholder forums.
• Strengthening NEDLAC Development Chamber.
• Strengthening Civil Society Networks; NGO’s ,CBO, FBO’s and Traditional Leadershi[p,
• Formalising partnerships with: -

• Regional Dialogue Forums and national Policy Conference for CSO’s.

• Technology enhancement and Integration.
• Impact assessment tools and systems.
• Grant disbursement tools and systems.
• Monitoring and evaluation tools and systems.
• Development of best practice.

• Enhancement of Proactive risk assessment and due diligence.
• Launch of a National Development Sector Tip Off Anonymous.
• Provide Risk Management Support and orientation as part of project cycle management.

In conclusion; it is important to note that the NDA does not exist for its own sake, but to facilitate interactions among civil society, government and the private sector in a bid to eradicate poverty. The levels at which these interactions occur is informed by the kind of outcome we seek to achieve. This in turn informs the nature of the partnership, i.e. long term or medium term.

The partnerships that we seek to build between governent and civil society, private sector included should be able to assist in mobilizing social capital in South Africa and meet the development needs of the our society, redefine social relations and facilitate a broad social transformation agenda.

Partnerships work on the basis of respect, trust and equality. Partners share a common vision and purpose, and thus are prepared to explore:

. sharing learning experiences, technology and tools,

. development of successful models of co-operation.

. give basis for claim on the contribution and role in addressing the plight of the poor.

. determining of common priorities, research agendas and impact assessment studies.