AD
HOC COMMITTEE ON THE REVIEW OF CHAPTER 9 AND ASSOCIATED INSTITUTIONS
QUESTIONNAIRE
Please read the following to assist you with the completion of the
questionnaire:
a) This questionnaire has five sections. Please answer ALL questions. Where a
question does not apply to your institution, your answer should indicate
accordingly.
b) Please respond to questions in the same sequence as the questionnaire.
c) Provide detailed responses in a concise manner.
d) Please e-mail completed questionnaires preferably by 15 December 2006,
but not later than 10 January 2007 to [email protected]
A. Role and Functions of Institution
1. How do you view your institution's constitutional/legal mandate? In other
words provide a description of your understanding of your institution's
constitutional/legal mandate.
2. What role or function does your institution perform that is not carried out
by other institutions, whether in government or civil society?
3. In what way, if any, does the role and function of your institution overlap
or potentially overlap with other Chapter 9 institutions?
4. What outcomes do you strive for in order to realise
the constitutional/legal mandate set out in 1 above?
5. Does the empowering legislation governing your institution provide a clear,
workable, and comprehensive legal framework that supports and empowers the
institution to successfully fulfil its core mandate?
6. What mechanisms do you have in place to measure the outcomes set out in 4 above, and how do you assess the
effectiveness and impact of your work?
7. Have you carried out any
evaluation looking at the success or otherwise of your functions, especially in
relation to recommendations sent to government, parliament or other public
institutions?
8. What have been/are the major constraints facing your institution and how
have these impacted on its ability to achieve its mandate?
B. Relationships with other bodies
9. How do you view your institution's relationship with the executive and
Parliament, given its constitutionally guaranteed independence and impartiality
and the constitutional requirement to be accountable to the National Assembly?
In particular please address the following issues:
a. What legal and other mechanisms are in place to ensure and strengthen your
institution's independence;
b. What mechanisms are in place to facilitate reporting to (and being
accountable to) the National Assembly;
c. How do you view your relationship with the executive and under what
circumstances do you engage the executive.
10. Is Parliament currently effectively fulfilling its oversight role over your
institution? If not, how can this be improved?
11. What was the intended relationship of accountability between your institution
and other institutions supporting constitutional democracy and the different
branches of government? To what extent have these relationships been realised?
12. Does your institution have any official or informal relationship with other
Chapter 9 institutions or institutions of a similar nature? If yes, describe
the nature of this relationship and the outcomes envisaged and generated by
this relationship.
13. What is the extent of collaboration and coordination of the work carried
out by your institution and similar/related work carried out by other Chapter 9
institutions or institutions of a similar nature? Give examples of successful
initiatives in this regard.
c. Institutional Governance
14. What are the institutional governance arrangements in your institution?
Are these arrangements clearly set out and do they allow for a smooth running
of the institution? Is there a clear, logical and workable division between the
members of your institution appointed by the President on advice of the National
Assembly and the secretariat? What suggestions do you have to improve the
institutional governance arrangements?
15. Does your institution have mechanisms in place to deal with internal
conflict in your institution? If yes, what are these mechanisms and are they
effective?
16. What mechanisms are in place for Chief Executive Officers, Chairpersons and
Commissioners to disclose and/ or seek permission for private
commercial/financial interests or involvement? Are such mechanisms effective or
sufficient to ensure transparency and avoid conflict of interest?
D. Interaction with the public
17. What was the intended relationship between your institution and the
public? To what extent has this relationship been realised?
18. Does your institution have mechanisms in place to deal with complaints by
the public about the work done by your institution or the failure to attend to
issues?
19. If you deal with public complaints, what mechanisms are in place to deal
with such complaints, to follow through on such complaints and to successfully
resolve such complaints?
E. Financial and other resource matters
20. Give an indication of your budget allocation, additional funding and
expenditure over the past five years.
21. Please provide detailed information of the remuneration packages for office
bearers and Commissioners.
22. Please illustrate the budget process followed by your institution,
including the process of allocation of funds.
23. Are the current budgetary and administrative arrangements sufficient to
ensure autonomy of Chapter 9 institutions?
24. To what extent are the resources allocated to your institution directly
spent on meeting its key responsibilities?
25. Please tabulate the full staff complement of your institution, including
all executive and non-executive staff. Please separate staff in the head office
from regional offices, where applicable.