Cape Town – Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Minister Collins Chabane says the introduction of his department in 2009 has contributed to turning the current administration around through enhanced monitoring systems.
In an interview with SAnews shortly after President Jacob Zuma delivered his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) of the current five-year term, Chabane said the continuous reports provided by his department were able to keep Cabinet informed on an on-going basis on how the administration was delivering.
The Ministry of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, located in the Presidency, was introduced as one of the new departments by Zuma when he was sworn in as President in 2009.
Chabane said when the current administration took over, its main focus was to ensure that the administration operated like a well-oiled machine and that the lives of people were improved.
“After the establishment of the department, we … have been able to put systems in place. It is functional. We have produced a number of important reports…” he said.
These include, amongst others, an annual report on the functioning of the administration, development indicators on improving the lives of South Africans and a 20 Year Review that will be published following the publication of the 15 Year Review and the half term review.
In his speech, Zuma said the introduction of the department had enhanced his administration’s monitoring and tracking of service delivery.
Chabane, who made all ministers sign performance agreements when he stepped into office, said as the current term nears its finish line, systems had been put in place to ensure that the next administration carries the work forward.
Teacher training colleges re-instated
Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande told SAnews that to address the shortage of teachers and to improve the quality of educators, his department was on a drive to re-open teacher training institutions that were shut down in recent years.
He said his department had already re-opened colleges around the country, including one in Siyabuswa, near Mpumalanga.
“It should not just be mere re-opening [of teacher training institutions] but to prioritise the teachers that we need, so that we don’t have a problem of over-producing teachers in particular subjects because we know that we have a shortage of teachers as things stand,” he said.
Nzimande said his department was not only re-opening training institutions, but opening new ones in areas where they have experienced teacher shortages.
He said there were plans to open colleges in the Northern Cape and the Eastern Cape soon.
Healthier lives and bigger ARV plans
When the current administration took over in 2009, one of the targets set was to improve the overall health of the nation.
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi today told SAnews that said over the past five years, his department had managed to turn the situation around.
“The President is now reporting that we are now running the biggest HIV treatment programme … in the world. United Nations now regards us as a model country, whereas a few years ago … everybody was [criticising] us … but now everybody is praising us,” he said.
Motsoaledi, who walks a lot to keep fit, despite his confession of his love for meat, said the department had bigger plans over the coming year.
He said currently, there are 2.3 million South Africans on ARVs, and said over the next 12 months, his department had bigger plans to double the number.
“That’s huge. If you look at it, that is 30% of all the people who are on ARVs all over the world. At the moment, there are eight million people on ARVs in the whole world; six million are in sub-Saharan Africa -- that is 30% in South Africa.
“We have the biggest programme, and we are still going to enlarge it.” – SANews.gov.za
