BUSINESS PLAN FOR THE JOINT MONITORING COMMITTEE ON IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND STATUS OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND DISABLED PERSONS
2007/8 - 2008/9
September 2005
1. Mission
The mandate of Parliament determines its reason for existence. It is the origin of the institution, and is based on the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996, establishing Parliament and setting out the functions it performs.
Parliament is elected to represent the people and to ensure government by the people under
the Constitution, and to represent the provinces in the national sphere of government.
Parliament fulfils its mandate by performing the following functions:
Function 1:
Function 2: Scrutinise and oversee executive action (keep oversight of the executive and organs of state)
Function 3: Facilitate public participation and involvement in the legislative and other processes
Function 4: Facilitate co-operative government
Function 5: Facilitate international participation (participate in regional, continental and international bodies)
The demand for support services is derived from the need for services by members of
Parliament, as they perform their functions outlined in the Constitution.The mission indicates
the purpose of Parliament, its reason for existence as outlined in the mandate.
The mission is:
As the freely elected representatives of the people of South Africa, our mission is to
represent, and act as a voice of the people, in fulfilling our Constitutional functions of
passing laws and overseeing executive action.
Our mission indicates our core business as described in the Core Objectives.
2. Core Objectives
The Core Objectives of Parliament are to pass legislation (laws), to scrutinise and oversee executive action (keep oversight of the executive and organs of state), to facilitate public participation and involvement in the legislative and other processes, to facilitate co-operative government and to facilitate international participation (participate in regional, continental and international bodies).
The outputs for the Core Objectives include Bills passed, questions put to the executive, annual
reports tabled and scrutinised, public participation facilitated, participated in international
forums and organisations, approved international agreements, appointed public office bearers,
and discharged statutory functions.
The Core Objectives of Parliament indicate our main business. They are:
Core Objective 1:
Bills are introduced in Parliament by the executive or initiated by Parliament itself. Bills are classified in terms of the Constitution as section 74 Bills (Constitutional amendments), section 75 Bills (ordinary Bills not affecting provinces), section 76 Bills (ordinary Bills affecting provinces), and section 77 Bills (money Bills).
Core Objective 2: To oversee and scrutinise executive action (Oversight)
As part of the oversight function of Parliament, members put questions to the executive for oral or written reply. Questions may be put to the President, Deputy President or Ministers. In addition to questions and replies, the oversight function includes the tabling of reports in Parliament by institutions accounting to it. Annual reports are tabled by national departments, state institutions supporting constitutional democracy, public entities, and sector education and training authorities. Further oversight activities include site visits, reports and briefings to committees, and the budget process.
Core Objective 3: To facilitate public participation and involvement
The participation of the public in the processes of Parliament, their access to the institution and its members, and information provided to the public remain a vital focus of Parliament. Public participation activities include public hearings, outreach programmes, radio programmes and broadcasts, television broadcasts, publications, newsletters, promotional material, the website, the peoples assembly, and Parliament to the People campaign.
Core Objective 4: To facilitate co-operative government
Parliament plays a major part in facilitating co-operative government by approving international agreements, the appointment of public office bearers, and the discharge of certain statutory functions as prescribed in legislation.
Core Objective 5: To facilitate international participation
Parliament facilitates and participates in several international forums and organisations. These include the Pan-African Parliament, SADC Parliamentary Forum, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the African, Caribbean, Pacific-European Union forum. Several incoming visits and outgoing visits are facilitated annually.
3. Strategic overview and developments in the environment
Building a democratic Parliament, that is transparent and responsive to the electorate, and that develops and follows a legislative agenda aimed at accelerating the transformation of South African society, has been Parliaments overriding policy and strategic objective since 1994. Recent years have seen a sharper focus being placed on Parliaments function of exercising oversight and of participating in international organisations, events and forums.At the same time, a renewed emphasis is being placed on public participation and involvement in parliamentary processes.
In 2004, the third democratic Parliament was ushered in. Shortly after the election results were made official, new members of the third Parliament were called to the first sittings of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. Almost a third of the members of the third Parliament are new.
In early January 2003 Parliament started to articulate a new vision, facilitated by the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. In July 2004 Parliament was presented with the draft vision. The vision was adopted by both Houses of Parliament on 22 February 2005. The new vision sets the new direction for Parliament, and acknowledges the challenges and key issues facing the institution.
4. Key Issues
Key Issues are the aspects that Parliament needs to attend to if services are to be provided at an acceptable level. These are derived from the Environmental Analysis an analysis of all external and internal aspects likely to influence Parliament.
The Key Issues facing Parliament are:
a. A growing demand for services emanating from parliamentary processes, including:
i. Developments in the oversight process
ii. Increased international participation (including African Union structures such as the Pan-African Parliament; SADC Parliament)
iii. The need for improved public participation and involvement
iv. Developments in co-operative government processes
b. The further development and implementation of institutional policies to guide implementation, including:
i. Institutional governance (processes, roles and responsibilities, accountability and reporting)
ii. Parliamentary policies
iii. Divisional policies
c. The development and implementation of modern institutional systems allowing for delivery, especially:
i. Management systems
ii. Functional systems
d. The organisational structure and human resource capacity to deliver the Core Objectives as identified, focusing specifically on:
i. The organisational structure
ii. Improved human resource capacity
iii. Training and development
e. Institutional culture and communication supporting implementation, focusing on:
i. The creation of a culture for Parliament supporting the delivery of effective and efficient services
ii. Improvement of internal and external communication
f. Providing a working environment enabling the delivery of services, including:
i. Working space and accommodation
ii. Facilities and equipment
5. Vision
The vision for Parliament is the future dream and ambition. It is within sight, but out of reach.
The new vision is:
To build an effective people's Parliament that is responsive to the needs of the people and that is driven by the ideal of realising a better quality of life for all the people of South Africa.
This means:
A people's Parliament to transform an entire society. Establishing a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights.
A people's Parliament of freely elected representatives building on the foundation of a democratic and open society based on the will of the people, their participation and access to Parliament.
A people's Parliament providing a national forum for public consideration of issues, which includes educating, informing and involving the people of South Africa in its processes and acting as a voice of the people.
A people's Parliament co-operating with other spheres of government as it deepens and entrenches our democratic values.
A people's Parliament working with continental and international bodies to create a new democratic and participatory world order.
A people's Parliament passing good laws, and scrutinising and overseeing executive action, as it moves to improve the quality of life of the people of South Africa, building a united and democratic South Africa.
The vision will be reached through the implementation of Strategic Objectives.
6. Strategic Objectives
In order to reach the desired vision the following strategic objectives will be met:
1. Build a quality process of scrutinising and overseeing government's action.
Objective:
Build an oversight process that ensures a quality process of scrutinising and
overseeing government's action, and that is driven by the ideal of realising a better
quality of life for the people of South Africa.
Areas:
Quality oversight and accountability process, best practices, international practices,
oversight model, legislation and procedure, systems and human resource capacity.
2. Further build a people's Parliament that is responsive to the needs of all
the people of South Africa.
Objective:
Further build a people's Parliament that is responsive to the needs of all the people
of South Africa, deepening public participation and involvement, and
being people-centred.
Areas:
People-centred, deepen democracy, responsive to people's needs, education and
information, voice of the people, include people on the periphery, access to
Parliament, Parliament to the People, setting up parliamentary information
offices (pilot project).
3. Build an effective and efficient institution (service delivery
improvement programme).
Objective:
Build an effective and efficient institution through the Service Delivery
Improvement Programme.
Areas:
Improve institutional governance and policy, implement modern systems and
technologies, improve human resource capacity, moral regeneration (of culture)
and improved communication, provision of space, accommodation and facilities.
7. Values
Our values are the set of beliefs that guide the management of Parliament. This is the foundation of our policies that provides guidance in the implementation of services and projects.
We keenly believe in the following:
Constitutionality
We subscribe to social justice, fundamental human rights and the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom as listed in the Bill of Rights, a cornerstone of democracy in South Africa.
People-centredness
We respect all our people, honour our integrity and are committed to service delivery.
Co-operative government
We co-operate with other spheres of government.
Professionalism and good institutional governance
We are accountable and transparent, provide value for money, are customer-focused and strive for the highest service quality.
8. Policies
The parliamentary policies seek to guide and regulate the daily implementation of services and
projects. These cover:
Presiding Officers
Parliamentary Service
Top management
Parliamentary Service Management Board
Parliamentary Service staff
Affirmative action
Termination of service
Inefficiency and misconduct
Termination of service based on operational requirements
Remuneration of staff
Hours of duty
Performance management
Career-pathing
Leave of absence
Official accommodation and traveling
Training and development of staff
International participation by staff
Home-owners subsidy and rental assistance
Uniforms, protective wear and footwear
Miscellaneous service conditions
Medical examinations in connection with labour practices
Remunerative work outside employment in service
Personal particulars
Acceptance of gifts, commission, money or reward
Confidential nature of parliamentary papers
Missing staff
Parliamentary precincts and facilities
Parliamentary security
Flying of flags on parliamentary buildings
Exhibitions, posters, notices and pamphlets
Smoking in parliamentary complex
Media accreditation
Library service
Funding of committee activities
Retirement dispensation
Goods and services
MANDATE / PURPOSE:
The Committee is required to monitor and evaluate progress with regard to the improvement in the quality of life and status of Children, Youth and Disabled Persons in South Africa.
9. Main Tasks for the Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Children, Youth and Disabled Persons
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Main Tasks |
Activities |
Outputs |
KPI |
Time Frame |
Strategic Plans Budget process Briefings & reports Annual reports Site visits |
Actions Briefing on Strategic Plan Analyse plans etc Formulate programme & themes Drafting of schedule Tabling of report
Actions Briefings Analyse budget Formulate recommendations Drafting of report Tabling of report
Actions Briefings Analyse information Formulate recommendations Drafting of report Tabling of report
Actions Briefings Analyse report Formulate recommendations Drafting of report Tabling of report
Actions Arrange visit Conduct visit Drafting of report Tabling of report
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10. Key Objectives for the Portfolio Committee on
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Key Objectives |
Activities |
Outputs |
KPI |
Time Frame |
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