Draft Strategic Plan of Parliament 2019-2024 V7 ES

Strategic Plan for Parliament
2019 to 2024
27 February 2020
SECTION HEADING GOES HERE
CONTENTS
Page
Statement by the Executive Authority ......................................................................... 3
Statement by the Accounting Officer ........................................................................... 5
Definitions................................................................................................................... 6
I. PART A: THE MANDATE OF PARLIAMENT .......................................................... 8
1.1 Introduction................................................................................................... 8
1.2 Mandate of Parliament................................................................................ 10
II. PART B: STRATEGIC FOCUS OF THE 6TH PARLIAMENT ................................. 14
2.1 Vision ......................................................................................................... 14
2.2 Mission ....................................................................................................... 14
2.3 Values ........................................................................................................ 14
2.4 Situational analysis relevant to Parliament.................................................. 14
2.5 Policy priorities for the 6th Parliament......................................................... 24
III. PART C: STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE AND MEASURES............................... 27
3.1 Impact 2030 – Improving quality of life........................................................ 27
3.2 Outcome 2024 – Increase government’s accountability .............................. 27
3.3 Planned performance, resources and key risks .......................................... 29
IV. PART D: ANNEXURE ........................................................................................ 33
4.1. Description of the strategic management framework ................................. 33
4.2. Technical indicator descriptors .................................................................. 35
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa | Strategic Plan 2019-2024

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Statement by the Executive Authority
The 6th democratic Parliament was established shortly after the May 2019 provincial
and national elections. This was a critical milestone in deepening and entrenching
democracy in our country.
Acknowledging the collective gains made over more than two decades of
democracy, the 6th Parliament reaffirmed its commitment not only to its
constitutionally predicated responsibilities of law making, oversight and public
participation - but also to its vision of being an activist and responsive people’s
Parliament that improves the quality of life of South Africans and ensures enduring
equality in our society.
As a veritable hub of democracy and true tribune of the people, and mindful of its
responsibility to build an effective people’s Parliament that is responsive to the
needs of the people, the institution embarked on a process of strategy development.
Informed by the institution’s integrated strategic management framework, early in
the parliamentary term, the planning sessions were conducted in both houses of our
Parliament (i.e. the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces). This
culminated in the identification of policy priorities, which in turn informed the
subsequent development of the Strategic Plan for the 6th Parliament. The
institution’s core values of openness, responsiveness, accountability, teamwork,
professionalism and integrity guided the strategy development process.
The process took place against a backdrop of a gloomy global economic and
political outlook. These resulted from, amongst others, intermittent trade wars and
trade policy uncertainty, resurgence of ‘narrow nationalism’ and seismic shifts in
geo-politics. There were also renewed national efforts to have meaningful and
value-adding social compacts to ameliorate the nation’s major socio-economic
challenges associated with deepening inequality, poverty and high unemployment.
In addition to the attendant challenges of poor economic performance, the low
growth forecast for South Africa and the potential spill-over effects (such as budget
cuts and decreased allocation to Parliament), the strategy development process
occurred at a time when the institution was grappling with an array of its own internal
challenges. These include, but are not limited to, unsustainable cost of the wage Bill
and aging physical infrastructure which does not talk to the demands of a changing
Parliament.
Nonetheless, while mindful of the above external and internal constraints we are
emboldened by the gains made by the previous parliaments such as the 5th
Parliament’s performance improvement from 45% in 2015/16 to 78% in 2018/19 and
the five consecutive clean audits. The 6th Parliament developed its Strategic Plan
for the 2019-2024 period in order to create a common vision for all at Parliament,
establishing a high level of synergy and understanding regarding the direction in
which the organisation is moving, whilst also directing the operational components in
their daily activities. The Strategic Plan also outlines the long-term impact of
Parliament, its medium-term outcome and indicators in order to give effect to an
activist people’s Parliament.

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In recent years, our country has witnessed a rise in service delivery protests. The
general perception is that these have been occasioned by the dilatory manner in
which government responds to people’s concerns when these are raised. This
underscores the need for the 6th Parliament to intensify its efforts of keeping the
executive accountable in delivering on the goals of the National Development Plan
of increasing employment, eradicating poverty and reducing inequalities - thus
increasing government’s responsiveness and accountability. As a true tribune of the
people, Parliament cannot afford to luxuriate in lengthy policy debates and
legislative processes while 26 years later in our democracy the country’s democratic
dividend is not equally distributed and shared by all.
As such, this 6th Parliament will utilise its oversight mechanisms and all available
resources to help ensure, effect and advance the pace of service delivery to all the
people of South Africa.
TR MODISE, MP AN MASONDO, MP
SPEAKER CHAIRPERSON
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES

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Statement by the Accounting Officer
The Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, Act 10 of

2009 as amended, requires Parliament to develop and table a strategic plan that
sets out its planned outcomes and strategy for the 5-year term. The strategic plan
must cover the next five years, specify the priorities of Parliament, and include
impact and outcome statements as well as indicators against which the institution
can be measured and evaluated. It must also include multi-year projections of
revenue and expenditure.
Following the elections in May 2019, the Executive Authority of Parliament directed
a process whereby representatives of the National Assembly and the National
Council of Provinces participated in the development of policy priorities for the sixth
Parliament. Planning sessions were conducted for both Houses, after which policy
priorities were identified jointly. This political policy direction informed the
development of a draft strategic plan under the leadership of the Accounting Officer.
The strategic plan outlines the long-term impact of Parliament and the medium-term
outcomes for the 6th Parliament, 2019 to 2024.
The Constitution envisages, amongst others, improving the quality of life of all
citizens, and freeing the potential of each person. Moreover, our country’s National
Development Plan (NDP) outlines Government’s masterplan for the improvement in
the quality of life of all persons in South Africa by 2030. In so doing, the NDP
reflects key measures and objectives to increase employment, eradicate poverty
and reduce inequality. Parliament therefore regards improving quality of life as a
fundamental focus in the development of our democracy and has adopted it as the
ultimate 15-year societal impact for South Africa. The challenge for Parliament is to
ensure that Government delivers on the objectives and targets of the National
Development Plan.
Against this backdrop, Parliament determined its 2024 outcome of increasing

government’s responsiveness and accountability. To do this, Parliament will need to
strengthen its oversight over the Executive. Stronger oversight will require deeper
insights and scrutiny and more effective public involvement. As Parliament
responds to this opportunity, it will more effectively fulfill its constitutional mandate,
improve government’s responsiveness and accountability, improve the pace and
quality of service delivery and build the trust of the people. In this regard
Parliament’s Administration will focus its attention on the effective and improved
support to all Members of Parliament.
I am pleased to present the strategic plan for the 6th Parliament, 2019 to 2024.
P TYAWA
ACTING SECRETARY TO PARLIAMENT

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Definitions
Strategic plan A clearly defined 5-year plan that focuses on issues that are
strategically important to the institution. The strategic plan is
reviewed annually or when required. It identifies the impact and
outcomes against which the institution can be measured and
evaluated.
Annual performance plan A 3-year performance plan that focusses on the outputs, output
indicators and targets that the institution will seek to achieve in
the upcoming financial year, aligned to the outcomes reflected in
the Strategic Plan. It includes forward projections (annual targets)
for a further two years, consistent with the Medium-Term
Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period, with annual and
quarterly performance targets, where appropriate, for the
financial year.
Operational plans Plans for components focusing on activities and budgets for each
of the outputs and output indicators reflected in the Annual
Performance Plan. Annual operational plans include operational
outputs, which are not reflected in the Annual Performance Plan.
Operational plans can be developed for branches or programmes
within the institution.
Performance information Performance information includes planning, budgeting,

implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation elements,
which are key to effective management. Performance information
indicates how well an institution performs towards the
achievement of its results. This information is vital in enhancing
transparency, accountability and oversight.
Impact Impacts are changes in conditions. These are the results of

achieving specific outcomes, such as reducing poverty and
creating jobs. Impacts seeks to answer the question of “what do
we aim to change”.
Outcome The medium term results which are the consequence of

achieving specific outputs. Outcomes are "what we wish to
achieve".
Outputs The final tangible products, or goods and services delivered as a

result of activities. Outputs may be defined as "what we produce
or deliver". Outputs are also the building blocks towards the
desired outcome.
Activities These are processes or actions which use a range of inputs to

produce the desired outputs and ultimately outcomes. In
essence, activities describe "what we do".
Inputs These are the resources which contribute to the production and
delivery of outputs. Inputs are "what we use to do the work". They
include finances, personnel, equipment and buildings.

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Assumptions Assumptions are factors that are accepted as true and certain to
happen without proof.
Risks A potential, unintended outcome that will affect the achievement

of an institution’s predetermined results.
Indicator An indicator is a predetermined signal, at a specific point in a

process, showing that the result was achieved. It should include a
unit of measurement that specifies what is to be measured.
Indicators can be qualitative or quantitative measures.
Proxy indicators Proxy indicators are used when results cannot be measured
directly. A proxy indicator aims to provide an indication of
achieved performance in a specific area.
Sector indicators Sector indicators refer to a core set of indicators that have been
developed and agreed to by national and provincial institutions
within a sector. The sector indicators are approved by provincial
Accounting Officers, incorporated in the Annual Performance
Plans of provincial institutions and form the basis for quarterly
and annual performance reporting process.
Indicator descriptor The description of impact, outcome and output indicators and
targets to outline data collection processes, gathering of portfolio
of evidence, and an acceptable level of performance at the
beginning of the planning cycle.
Targets Targets are the level of performance the institution would like to
achieve and must be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic
and timely (SMART).
Baseline The current level of performance that the institution aims to

improve.

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I. PART A: THE MANDATE OF PARLIAMENT
1.1 Introduction
1.1.1 Introducing strategic planning in Parliament
The first democratically elected Parliament identified the need for a strategic
planning process to enable systematic and coherent planning for the future and to
monitor and evaluate implementation and progress. An initial set of processes were
activated in 1997, with the aim of implementing strategic planning.
With the promulgation of the Public Finance Management Act in 1999, Parliament
adopted the management principles set out in this Act. Instruments such as the
strategic plan, the budget vote, quarterly reports and the annual report were
introduced from 2002. With regard to the extent that any provision of this Act
applied to Parliament, section 3 vested any controlling and supervisory functions of
the National Treasury in the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson
of the National Council of Provinces, acting jointly.
1.1.2 Finance Management of Parliament Act
With the promulgation of the Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial

Legislatures Act, Act 10 of 2009 as amended, the planning process and the strategic
plan became regulated by law. As of 2009, Parliament adopted the continuum of
governance activities as set out in the Green Paper on National Strategic Planning
(2009). These governance activities consist of:
 policy development;
 strategic and operational planning;
 resource allocation;
 implementation; and
 performance monitoring and evaluation.
Accordingly, the Executive Authority of Parliament oversees the preparation of

Parliament’s strategic plan, annual performance plan, and budget and adjustments
budgets. With regard to the governance processes, the Act makes provision for the
submission of a draft strategic plan, draft annual performance plan, draft budget,
written performance agreement, monthly financial statements, quarterly
performance reports, a mid-year budget and performance assessment, and an
annual report.
The strategic plan must -
a) cover the next five years or another period determined by Parliament;

b) specify the priorities of Parliament’s administration for the period of the plan;
c) include objectives and outcomes for each programme of Parliament;
d) include multi-year projections of all revenue and expenditure; and

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e) include performance measures and indicators for assessing the administration’s

performance in implementing the strategic plan.
The strategic plan outlines the long-term impact of Parliament and the medium-term
outcomes.
1.1.3 Strategic management process in Parliament
Parliament adopted an integrated strategic management framework in 2018, setting

out the strategy development process. The strategic management framework is
based on universally accepted best practice in the strategic management sphere,
and directs the planning process in Parliament.
The strategic management framework comprises of the essential building blocks

required for the formulation and implementation of strategy. The framework is
based on the vision, mission and values of the institution. The framework consists
of two main elements: strategy formulation and strategy implementation. Strategy
formulation consists of environmental scanning, strategy formulation and goal
setting. Strategy implementation consists of implementation programmes and
initiatives, the required organisational structures, resource allocation, and monitoring
and evaluation.
Following the elections in May 2019, the Executive Authority of Parliament directed
a process whereby Members of the National Assembly and the National Council of
Provinces participated in the development of policy priorities for the sixth
Parliament. Planning sessions were conducted for both Houses after which policy
priorities were identified. The process ensured the active involvement by the
Executive Authority, Office Bearers and Members of Parliament in the development
of the policy priorities for Parliament. The Accounting Officer directed the
development of a draft strategic plan, based on this policy direction.
1.1.4 Alignment with the National Development Plan and related plans
The work of Parliament is informed and influenced by the national agenda, and also
by regional and global developments. The strategic plan of Parliament is aligned to
the objectives set out in various plans, including the National Development Plan and
other regional and global plans.
The first National Development Plan for South Africa was published in 2012. The
plan sets out measures and objectives to increase employment and income, to
ensure skills development and to broaden ownership to historically disadvantaged
groups. It intends to increase the quality of education, provide access to affordable,
quality health care, and to provide safe and affordable public transport. It further
seeks to provide security of household food, nutrition and housing, and social
protection for the poor and other groups in need, such as children and persons with
disabilities. The plan also outlines steps for the realisation of a developmental,
capable and ethical state that treats citizens with dignity. In terms of the principles of
a developmental state, public administration must be governed by the democratic
values and principles enshrined in the Constitution. Subsequent to the publication

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and adoption of the National Development Plan, all institutions are required to
review and align their long-term outcomes and strategic plans.
Regional, continental and global plans used in alignment included the following:
 The Sustainable Development Goals - a collection of 17 global goals

designed to be a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future
for all. The SDGs, set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and
intended to be achieved by the year 2030, are part of UN Resolution 70/1,
the 2030 Agenda.
 Agenda 2063 – the Africa we want. Africa’s new path for attaining inclusive
and sustainable economic growth and development was signed by members
of the African Union in May 2013. The declaration marked the re-dedication
of Africa towards the attainment of the Pan African Vision of an integrated,
prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens, representing a
dynamic force in the international arena.
 SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan. The plan is a
comprehensive 15–year strategic roadmap, which provides the strategic
direction for achieving SADC’s long-term social and economic goals. It was
approved by the SADC Summit in 2003 and its effective implementation
began in 2005.
 The Inter-Parliamentary Union Strategy 2017-2021. The plan, drafted under
the guidance of IPU Member Parliaments, sets the vision, mission and
objectives of the organisation. It outlines the actions that need to be taken by
the IPU community to achieve its agenda and the two overarching goals of
building strong, democratic parliaments and mobilising them around the
global development agenda.
1.2 Mandate of Parliament
1.2.1 Legislative mandate
The mandate of Parliament derives from the Constitution of the Republic of South
Africa, 1996, establishing Parliament and setting out the functions it performs.
Parliament’s role and outcomes are to represent the people and ensure government
by the people under the Constitution, as well as to represent the provinces and local
government in the national sphere of government.
The mandate and functions of Parliament are based on the following legislation:
 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996;

 Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act,
Act 4 of 2004;
 Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act, Act 9 of 2009;
 Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, Act 10 of
2009;
 National Council of Provinces (Permanent Delegates Vacancies) Act, Act 17 of
1997;
 Determination of Delegates (National Council of Provinces) Act, Act 69 of 1998;

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 Mandating Procedures of Provinces Act, Act 52 of 2008; and

 Remuneration of Public Office Bearers Act, Act 20 of 1998.
1.2.2 Business of Parliament
The strategic outcomes, budget programme structure and the organisational

structure of Parliament are predicated on the business of Parliament, as set out in
the Constitution.
The Constitution is the supreme law of the Republic and lays the foundations for a
democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the
people and every citizen is equally protected by law. It stipulates the values and
mechanisms for governance of a uniquely people-centred democracy.
The Constitution sets a single, sovereign democratic state where government is

constituted as national, provincial and local spheres of government which are
distinctive, interdependent and interrelated. On the national sphere governance is
effected through Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary. In the Republic, the
legislative authority of the national sphere of government is vested in Parliament,
the executive authority is vested in the President, and the judicial authority is
vested in the Courts.
Parliament represents the people and provincial interests in order to ensure

government by the people, under the Constitution. Such representation takes
place in the activities of passing legislation, overseeing and scrutinising executive
action, and the facilitation of public involvement, co-operative government and
international participation.
Applying the construct of the logical framework to Parliament, it is possible to

define the inputs, activities, outputs, medium-term outcomes and long term impacts
for Parliament (Figure 1).
Inputs relate to Members’ capacity, advisory and information services, and related
facilities and support used in activities. Activities include the passing of legislation,
overseeing and scrutinising executive action, the facilitation of public involvement,
functions around co-operative government and international participation. These
activities are mainly constituted as plenaries, committee meetings and the work
performed in constituencies and on international platforms. The effectiveness of
such plenaries and committee meetings depend on the appropriate capacity, the
required information on proceedings and content, and an enabling environment with
the required facilities. The ensuing outputs to these processes will include Bills,
budget recommendations, appointment recommendations, approved international
agreements, government interventions and other resolutions of Parliament. The
outcome of Parliament is orientated to ensure open, responsive and accountable
government.

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Parliament Result
Impact Improve quality of life: Eliminate income poverty
Reduce unemployment
Reduce inequality
Outcome Long-term: Deepened democracy
Intermediate: Accountable government
Immediate: Strengthened oversight and accountability
Enhanced public involvement
Deepened engagement in international fora
Strengthened co-operative government
Strengthened legislative capacity
Outputs House resolutions: Bills, approved international agreements,
appointment recommendations, approved
interventions, resolutions
Activities Houses: Plenaries

Committees: Committee meetings
Constituencies: Constituency office representation
Inputs House: Advisory and information services,

Members’ support services.
Committees: Procedural and legal advice, analytical and
content advice, research, records, public
education, communication, media, meeting
room preparation, catering, security.
Constituencies: Transfer payments for constituency work
Figure 1. Framework linking inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts
1.2.3 Court rulings relevant to the mandate of Parliament
As our democracy matures, people and organisations approach the courts to

challenge actions or legislation passed by Parliament. The courts recently declared
legislation constitutionally invalid on various grounds. This resulted in Parliament
being required to remedy the defects, some of which required additional resources
for implementation. These court rulings, however, provided clarity and direction on
the constitutional obligations of Parliament. They brought about much needed
certainty on the interpretation of some provisions of the Constitution relating to the
business of Parliament.
With regard to the obligation of Parliament to involve the public in its processes, the
Constitutional Court confirmed that failure to comply with this obligation rendered the
resulting legislation constitutionally invalid. The Constitutional Court acknowledged
however that each case will have to be determined on its own merits as Parliament
and the provincial legislatures have a broad discretion in deciding how to best fulfil
this obligation and may do so in innovative ways. The principal requirements are
that a legislature must have acted reasonably in providing the public a meaningful
opportunity to be heard. (Doctors for Life International v The Speaker of the National Assembly

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and Others; Land Access Movement of South Africa and Others v Chairperson of the National Council
of Provinces and Others).
The Court also confirmed that in respect of Bills that affect provinces, the National
Council of Provinces may decide not to conduct public hearings itself, but rather to
have the provincial legislatures do this instead, as the provincial legislatures are
“closer to, and more in touch with, the people and better placed to reach the nooks
and crannies of the country”. (Land Access Movement of South Africa and Others v
Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces and Others).
A number of court rulings have pointed towards the need for review of the overall
statute book, focusing on correcting deficiencies and ensuring greater constitutional
compliance of Bills. The courts have also confirmed the importance of the correct
classification of legislation in determining the legislative route that a Bill follows
through Parliament. (Tongoane and Others v National Minister for Agriculture).
The Constitutional Court has declared certain Rules of the National Assembly
constitutionally invalid on the grounds that they are inconsistent with the right of
Members of the National Assembly to initiate and introduce legislation. This has an
implication for the Delegates of the National Council of Provinces as it has similar
Rules. This resulted in Parliament establishing capacity to assist Members of both
Houses to initiate and draft Bills. In addition, the Rules of both Houses also require
the Secretary to reimburse a member where he/she has incurred costs in the
process (Oriani-Ambrosini v The Speaker of the National Assembly).
Where there were no specific rules to give effect to the accountability mechanism to
remove the President in terms of section 89 of the Constitution, the Constitutional
Court found that the National Assembly failed to comply with that provision. As
envisaged in the section, the Assembly had to adopt such rules without delay
(Economic Freedom Fighters and Others v Speaker of the National Assembly and Another).

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II. PART B: STRATEGIC FOCUS OF THE 6TH PARLIAMENT
2.1 Vision
An activist and responsive people’s Parliament that improves the quality of

life of South Africans and ensures enduring equality in our society.
2.2 Mission
To represent the people, and to ensure government by the people in fulfilling

our constitutional functions of passing laws and overseeing executive action.
2.3 Values
Openness
Responsiveness
Accountability
Teamwork
Professionalism
Integrity
2.4 Situational analysis relevant to Parliament
2.4.1 The external environment
The work of Parliament is influenced by several developing trends within the global,
continental and national contexts, including the effects of evolving democracies,
emerging contestations, uneven global economic growth, increased expectations
and demands, and changing forces in global governance.
Global economic activity has slowed down from 2018, and economic growth for
2019 and 2020 has been revised downwards. Global risks are increasingly
impacting on growth, mainly caused by trade wars between the USA and China,
the impact of Brexit in Europe, prevailing financial market sentiment, slower

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economic growth in China, Europe and Japan, and geopolitical tension between
the United States and Iran.
Global growth, estimated at 2.9 percent for 2019, is projected to increase to 3.3
percent in 2020, and 3.4 percent in 2021 (IMF, World Economic Outlook, Jan
2020). The forecast for emerging markets and developing economies is expected
to increase to 4.4 percent in 2020 and 4.6 percent in 2021 - from an estimated 3.7
percent in 2019. The IMF forecasts that growth in Africa’s sub-Saharan countries
will be 3.3% for 2019, and 3.5% for 2020 and 2021. The sub-Sahara
unemployment rate for 2016 stood at 7.5% (ILO, 2016), with human development
remaining below the 0.55 level for the region (UNDP, 2016). Poor transport links
and infrastructure networks, as well as tariff and non-tariff barriers, raise the cost of
doing business in Africa and hobble both investment and internal trade, whilst weak
legal institutions and, in some cases poor governance, heighten the risks of
investing (NDP, 2012).
South Africa experienced an average growth rate of approximately 5 percent

between 2004 and 2007. However, the period 2008 to 2012 only recorded average
growth just above 2 percent - largely a result of the global economic recession and
domestic risks.
The medium-term economic outlook has been revised down, with GDP growth
forecast to reach 0.5 percent in 2019, rising to 1.2 percent in 2021 (Budget Review,
Oct 2019). The IMF projected growth for South Africa as 0.4 percent for 2019 and
0.8 for 2020 (IMF, Jan 2020, WEO Update). Weak economic performance and
residual problems in tax administration have resulted in large revenue shortfalls.
The deteriorating financial position of state-owned companies has put additional
pressure on the public finances. Faster growth is needed to expand employment
and raise the revenues needed to support social development. While progress is
being made on various short-term initiatives, South Africa needs to implement a
range of structural reforms that will bolster confidence, investment, international
competitiveness and consequently economic growth.
Several of South Africa’s challenges can only be addressed through regional co-
operation. While South Africa is a water-scarce country, several neighbouring
countries have abundant supply. There are other areas in which complementary
national endowments offer opportunities for mutually beneficial co-operation.
South Africa, a major economic player on the continent, remains faced with the
challenges of unemployment, poor outcomes of education, inadequate
infrastructure, spatial divides, a resource-intensive economy, a public health
system not meeting demand and quality requirements, uneven and poor quality
public services, high levels of corruption, and a divided society (NDP, 2012).
Despite a number of progressive initiatives, the main challenges of poverty,

inequality and unemployment persist. Unemployment in South Africa remained
high at 29%, with youth unemployment at 55% (StatsSA, 2019).
Although the proportion of the population living in poverty declined between 2006
and 2011, poverty levels rose in 2015 with the poverty headcount increasing to

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55.5%. This translated into over 30,4 million South Africans living in poverty in
2015 (StatsSA, 2017). Human development in South Africa has seen a slight
increase, from 0.638 in 2010, to 0.666 in 2015 (UNDP, 2016). The Gini coefficient
of 0.68 (2015) remains high, and indicates the extreme levels of inequality in
society.
Socially, South Africa has seen a rapid increase in the rate of urbanisation, with
more than 65% of its population being classified as urban by 2016. Rapid
urbanisation, a global phenomenon, is aided by increased migration due to certain
pull and push factors. The last two decades saw a great increase in mobility,
technology, transport and other infrastructure supporting the current international
wave of migration.
The social trends in South Africa are also influenced by technology today,
especially social media. In recent years the use of internet and social media saw
strong growth, with 28 million people (out of a population of 55 million people)
accessing and utilising the internet (Qwertydigital, 2017). The annual increase in
internet usage for 2016 was 7%. Some 15 million people make use of social media
platforms, and 13 million users do so purely from mobile phones. This
demonstrates the rapid evolution seen in technology and access to information.
Today, communication and social media are becoming platforms for public
discourse.
On a political level, contestation has seen a marked increase since 1994, with both
inter and intra party competition playing itself out on the national stage. Political
parties contesting the national elections in South Africa increased from 19 in 1994,
to 48 in 2019. Globally, the political landscape for many states has seen dramatic
changes in the last few years, sometimes with sudden and unexpected changes.
The recent emergence of political populism, anti-establishment sentiments,
heightened nationalism, and increased protectionism may intensify risks and work
against global economic co-operation and multilateralism.
In spite of the increased contestation, there appears to be broad consensus on the

main challenges facing South Africa – poverty, unemployment and inequality. The
National Development Plan (NDP, 2012) outlines these challenges in more detail.
It also sets out measures and objectives to increase employment and income,
ensure skills development and broaden ownership to include historically
disadvantaged groups. It intends to increase the quality of education, provide
access to affordable, quality health care, and provide safe and affordable public
transport. It further seeks to give security of household food, nutrition and housing,
and to provide social protection for the poor and other groups in need, such as
children and persons with disabilities. The plan also outlines steps for the
realisation of a developmental, capable and ethical state that treats citizens with
dignity. In terms of the principles of a developmental state, public administration
must be governed by the democratic values and principles enshrined in the
Constitution.
To achieve these impacts, the NDP requires that South Africa must build a capable
developmental state able to respond to the needs of the people. To achieve the

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aspirations of a capable developmental state, the country needs a transformative

Parliament that acts as an agent of change which ensures acceleration of delivery.
It must enhance oversight and accountability, stabilise the political administrative
interface, professionalise the public service, upgrade skills and improve co-
ordination. It also needs a more pragmatic and proactive approach to managing
the intergovernmental system to ensure a better fit between responsibility and
capacity.
Nationally, several weaknesses remain in the accountability chain, with a general

culture of blame-shifting. The accountability chain has to be strengthened from top
to bottom, with a strong focus on strengthening oversight and accountability.
Parliament needs to provide a forum for rigorous debate and champion the
concerns of citizens. It needs to scrutinise legislation, paying particular attention to
how legislation will impact on society, and seek to increase the quality of life. It
needs adequate support in the form of generation, collation and analysis of data
sets, specialist policy and research staff that are able to conduct both issue- or
action-orientated research, and in-depth research to support parliamentary
committees and brief parliamentarians. (NDP, 2012).
Recent information indicates that accountability in South Africa is diminishing

(Ibrahim Index of African Governance, 2018). This should be of concern, as the
main purpose of Parliament and other organs of state are to ensure open,
responsive and accountable government. The imperative to strengthen oversight
and accountability, in the state as a whole, will require more openness,
transparency, collaboration, and more rigorous scrutiny and investigation. Greater
accountability will require more ethical leadership, openness and transparency, and
a sense of responsibility beyond control. Recent governance failures, in both the
private and public spheres in South Africa, demonstrated how accountability and
governance can be eroded causing knock-on effects in service delivery,
diminishing returns and a collapse in equity value.
Technologically speaking, we find ourselves in the midst of the greatest information

and communications revolution in human history. This trend is driven by the
exponential growth and development in digital technologies – also known as the 4th
industrial revolution. Globally, more than 40 percent of the world’s population has
access to the internet, with new users coming online every day. Among the
poorest 20 percent of households, nearly 7 out of 10 have a mobile phone. The
poorest households are more likely to have access to mobile phones, than to toilets
or clean water. (World Bank, 2016).
Although businesses and people are adopting digital technology fairly swiftly,
governments are not. This is also the case for parliaments. The 2018 World e-
Parliament Report (IPU) indicates that parliaments do not tend to be early adopters
of new technologies. In fact, they are lagging behind in adopting digital tools,
social tools and open data. Yet society has changed, and with it, societal
expectations. The public today expects ready access to Parliament, just as it has
to commercial brands. It wants to receive information, have access to transact,
and make real contributions that can influence the outcome of legislation.
Parliaments will need to innovate or be left behind.

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2.4.2 Intermediate environment
Globally, parliaments are facing three dominant pressures today (IPU, 2012). Each
of these are playing out in different ways, at different speeds, and in specific
countries and regions. The three common themes relate to the public’s desire for:
a. more information and influence in parliamentary work,

b. more accountability and responsiveness to public concerns, and
c. faster service and delivery to meet citizens’ needs.
Public pressure on parliaments is greater than ever before. In many parts of the
world there are fundamental questions about the effectiveness of parliaments in
holding government to account. Until recently it was accepted that parliaments do
not have competitors, as it remained the only platform for debate and participation
in government decision-making. However, the access to technology, internet, and
social media has created a situation where the public discourse is playing itself out
on social and other media. In this regard parliaments are globally seen as sluggish
to adopt modern technology and hence to act on public interests. Without
parliament adding a value in the democratic chain, people might soon opt for a
form of direct government where the executive accounts directly to the citizens. In
such instances the risk of disintermediation arises.
The outcomes required around oversight and accountability can only be achieved
through more meaningful co-operation by legislatures. In South Africa, the
legislative sector brings together representation of legislatures on the national,
provincial and local level. It seeks to better co-ordinate work around mutual goals,
and to harness scarce resources in a more efficient way. Sector co-operation
around oversight and public involvement can ensure more responsive and
accountable government at all levels, including better co-operation in the delivery
of services.
Although the parliamentary administration is a service-based organisation that

delivers primarily through human capital, certain service providers are key to
institutional performance and operations. The list below outlines the essential
service providers that Parliament relies on:
 Banking: Parliament needs banking facilities and systems to facilitate

payments to Members, staff and suppliers. Banks only provide these
services to institutions with a good governance record and hence the
necessity to maintain a clean audit.
 Internet Service Providers: Greater reliance has been placed on the internet
to the extent that Parliament would not be able to function effectively
without internet service. The number of internet service providers and
internet channels has been growing over the years and data costs have
been on a significant downward trend. Internet service provider fees for
Parliament were three million Rand in 2018 whilst 2019 projections are one
and a half million Rand for significantly more data and greater speed.

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 Telephony and cellular service providers: These are essential for the
efficient and smooth running of the Parliamentary service. There is a limited
number of providers in the South African market, however prices have been
trending downwards due to voice over IP services, and alternative social
media platforms for communication.
 Software providers: Parliament is reliant on providers of key software for its
operations. Software licenses have to be paid on an annual basis. There
are no alternatives for these, however the IT strategy is looking at
simplifying the IT architecture for the institution to reduce license costs and
dependencies.
 South African Police Services: Parliament is a national key point and is
governed by national legislation. It requires that the SAPS provide certain
security services. This service cannot be provided by any other supplier.
 Department of Public Works (DPW): DPW is the custodian (owner) of the
facilities utilised by Parliament and is responsible for managing and
maintaining the Parliamentary precinct. The efficient running of the
Parliamentary Service is highly dependent on how well DPW performs its
role.
 Insurance providers: Insurers provide key risk mitigation services to
Parliament through group life schemes, asset and electronic hardware
insurance. This is necessary to warrant Parliament’s sustainability as a
going concern.
 ICT and broadcast-audio visual equipment service providers: a range of ICT
and broadcast hardware and services are supported by service providers.
 Travel: Airways provide travel for Members between their homes,
constituencies and Parliament. They play a vital role in ensuring that
Members constitute meetings and proceedings. Service interruptions can
easily affect the work of Parliament.
2.4.3 Internal environment
2.4.3.1 Performance and client satisfaction
The 5th Parliament introduced the concept of stakeholder management with regular
client satisfaction surveys in order to improve service offerings and support to
Members of Parliament. The approach has yielded valuable management
information which is annually used in target setting and monitoring. During the 5th
Parliament, the overall performance of the Parliamentary Service increased
substantially. The performance is measured in terms of a) the achievement of
performance targets stated in the Annual Performance Plan, and b) the audit
outcomes for the institution. Overall performance on targets improved from 45% in
2015/16 to 78% in 2018/19. During this period the institution achieved five (5)
consecutive clean audits (2014/15 to 2018/19).
A stakeholder survey conducted in 2017 indicated that more than half of Members
of Parliament (52%) were satisfied with services, whereas 29% were dissatisfied
with services - a further 19% was neutral. A second survey was conducted in
2018, indicating that overall satisfaction decreased. This information provides new
insights into the use of parliamentary services and how existing services could be

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re-conceptualised and expanded. Moving forward, the services offered to

Members of Parliament should be based on an analysis of needs, offer effective
support for the work of Members in an integrated way, and must ensure the
efficient use of available resources.
2.4.3.2 Human resources
Parliament has a human resource workforce of about 1300 posts, with access to
diverse and specialised skills. Some capacity remains untapped, mostly due to
structural challenges. Since 2001 the workforce in Parliament has changed
dramatically. In 2001 a total of 67% of the workforce was employed on the skilled
and lower-skilled levels, with only 31% in the highly skilled and professional levels.
By 2019, more than 71% was employed on the highly skilled and professional
levels.
The increase in the highly skilled and professional levels is due to Parliament’s
requirements for knowledge and information skills. It is estimated that by 2030
almost 80% of employees in Parliament will be knowledge workers - highly skilled
and professional employees, including legal, procedural and content advisors,
researchers and analysts, and various subject matter experts. This also means
that the conditions of service and working environment will need to change to
accommodate knowledge workers. A recent report on staff engagement levels
indicated that Parliament’s ability to implement its strategic intent, to invest energy
in work and the business, and to provide good customer service is impaired. The
report further details that only 10% of staff is highly engaged, with 54% at risk of
burnout, and that Parliament is paying a heavy cost for the disengagement.
According to the report, the main risk factors include inadequate communication,
autocratic management style, inadequate job information and performance
management, and inadequate growth and development opportunities. The report
recommends that managers must be empowered with people and workplace
management skills; apply a servant leadership approach; use coaching and
communication skills; apply participatory management styles; promote job
information; and use constructive performance management skills.
2.4.3.3 Processes, systems and technology
Despite recent implementation of innovative technologies, the uptake and

application of systems in Parliament remains slow. The 2018 World e-Parliament
Report (IPU) indicates that more than half of parliaments now have a legislative
management system in place, and that Members of Parliaments now use email,
websites and a range of social media to conduct their work. Although the 2018
report shows that parliaments are more and more willing to adopt new
technologies, they continue to lag behind the general public.
As a consequence, business processes in Parliament remained largely manual,

thus creating resource inefficiencies. In addition, business processes and standard
operating procedures are poorly documented and mapped. An ISO 9001
readiness assessment in 2017 found that business processes in Divisions are

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inadequately mapped, including process mapping across the value chain. Hence,
quality control and business process improvements are not formally managed.
Institutional communication and collaboration processes remain ad-hoc and weak,
resulting in so-called silo-mentality. The poor management of processes add to
unfulfilled client needs, poor service quality and resource inefficiencies.
The present systems supporting business processes include email, internet,

intranet, central document management (uVimba), the Enterprise Resourcing
Planning system (ERP), chamber management, voting, digital recording and
transcription, committee scheduling, submissions for public participation, and a
library management system. Parliament has recently moved the delivery of
information to Members to an electronic platform in the form of the MyParliament
mobile application. This application caters for the quick and mobile delivery of
Parliamentary information to Members – anywhere, anytime.
Broadcast feeds of both Houses and selected committee sittings are relayed to the
national broadcaster (SABC), eTV, PRIMEDIA and Multichoice’s DSTV for
broadcasting via television and via community radio stations as part of public
involvement initiatives. In addition, live digital video streaming is transmitted to
Parliament’s official YouTube channel of House sittings and certain Committee
sittings. The advantage of the YouTube digital streaming is that it allows for access
to sittings anywhere, at any time via internet connectivity.
2.4.3.4 Facilities
The work of Parliament is realised through the main activities of plenary, committee
and constituency work. As these activities are constituted as meetings, the facilities
to house such meetings and its proceedings are an essential requirement to the
effectiveness of representation. In addition, meetings at Parliament are open and
require facilities for the attendance, and where required, the participation of the
public. The present facilities were not designed for the work of an open,
democratic Parliament in which the involvement of people is an integral part of
democracy. Although chamber facilities for the National Assembly and the National
Council of Provinces were rebuilt in accordance to specific needs, no proper
facilities exist for joint sittings of the Houses.
The main challenge surrounds the limited facilities available for committee
proceedings. Presently, there is an acute shortage of committee venues to facilitate
the representation of people’s interests in various parliamentary processes.
Facilities for committee meetings are limited. Where available, the lay-out of
facilities often inhibits effective meetings, with most venues unable to facilitate
open meetings. In addition, office space for Members of Parliament is inadequate,
both in its availability and quality, given the fact that Members should be accessible
to the public.
2.4.3.5 Finances
In the external analysis the poor economic performance and the subsequent low
growth forecast for South Africa were highlighted. Such a forecast could impact

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Parliament directly as a result of continued fiscal consolidation that limits nominal

budget increases. Parliament may find that it can buy less with its allocations. It
may have fewer resources to support the work of the legislature and its
committees. In recent years the budget allocation to Parliament, via the national
appropriation, indicated a decreasing trend. Although this situation is applicable to
the state as a whole, it has affected the work of Parliament in some areas.
As a consequence, Parliament implemented cost containment measures and

efficiency initiatives. The measures reduced operational costs and ensured
mission critical activities in the value chain of Parliament. The 2017/18 to 2019/20
financial years saw further reductions in budget for operational expenditure, with
budget pressures in almost all areas of work where remuneration and operating
costs are increasing at a rate above the inflationary adjustment. This will require
mitigation to ensure financial viability and sustainability.
2.4.3.6 Leadership and governance
During the 5th Parliament the governance of Parliament was strengthened by the
establishment of the Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of
Parliament. The committee provides oversight over Parliament’s financial
management, thereby ensuring transparency and accountability. However, the
institution is required to address some remaining challenges in its governance
processes. These include concerns about slow decision making, outdated
implementation polices, and lack of proper governance charters.
The results of a 2015 employee engagement survey indicated that leadership was
regarded as knowledgeable and technically competent to drive strategy, but that
this understanding was not cascaded down to enable operationalisation.
Consequently, there exists a lack of trust and confidence in the senior leadership,
and strategy was pursued with limited support from staff members. Staff also felt
disempowered as they believed their voices were not heard by leadership. The
leadership style was characterised as autocratic, and not inclusive.
2.4.4 Key constraints and assumptions
Certain constraints will impact on the 6th Parliament’s ability to implement its
selected strategy, including the following:
a. Budget constraints: As mentioned above, economic growth was slow at the

time when the strategy for the 5th Parliament was adopted. Consequently,
some policy priorities and strategic initiatives could not be fully executed
due to the constrained fiscus, and by extension the revenue of Parliament.
This compelled the institution to introduce a number of cost-containment
measures. The 2017/18 to 2019/20 financial years saw reductions in budget
for operational expenditure, with budget pressures in almost all areas of
work where remuneration and operating costs are increasing at a rate
above the inflationary adjustment.

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b. Unsustainable cost of the wage bill: The reductions in budget necessitated

a freeze in respect of some positions in the organisational structure.
However, this did not resolve the problem as the high cost of compensation
continued to put pressure on the institutional budget.
c. Lack of, and aging physical facilities: Parliament is dependent on the

Department of Public Works for the provision of physical facilities. While
there is a visible need for more space, this cannot be easily attained due to
this dependency. Consequently, the parliamentary precinct is under serious
strain, and facilities require renovation and modernisation.
d. Aging technological infrastructure: The fourth industrial revolution requires

institutions to rethink their information technology strategies. However, due
to the budget constraint, Parliament finds it difficult to invest in modern
technology. Even in instances where such investments have been made,
there is a slow adoption of technology and of new working ways.
e. Ability to execute change initiatives: Organisational climate surveys pointed

out that the institution’s ability to execute strategy is impaired.
f. Failure of 3rd party service providers: The value chain in Parliament is

supported by various service providers. A disruption in these services may
adversely affect the work of Parliament.

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2.5 Policy priorities for the 6th Parliament
The strategic analysis enabled management to develop a strategy map for the 6th
Parliament. The strategy map details the key elements of the 6th Parliament
strategy, focusing on the required inputs, activities and outputs needed to ensure
the desired outcome and impact.
2.5.1 Impact
The strategy map firstly sets out the desired long-term impact. Improving quality of
life is set as the ultimate goal and impact. In pursuing this societal impact,
government developed the National Development Plan, setting out how quality of
life will be improved by 2030. The plan reflects measures and objectives to
increase employment, eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. The challenge for
Parliament is to ensure that Government delivers on this plan.
Despite progressive initiatives and outcomes since 1994, the main challenges of
poverty, inequality and unemployment persist. Unemployment in South Africa
remains high at 29%, with youth unemployment at 55%. Although the proportion of
the population living in poverty declined between 2006 and 2011, poverty levels
rose again from 2015. Human development in South Africa has seen a slight
increase. However, the Gini coefficient remains high, and indicates the extreme
levels of inequality in our society.
The Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) is Government’s strategic plan for

the 2019-2024 electoral term. It stipulates the outcomes to be achieved, which
includes high-level development indicators for each outcome. These development
indicators enable Parliament, provincial legislatures and the public to monitor the
overall impact on society. Parliament’s constitutional role of holding the Executive
to account must be pronounced by the manner in which those development
indicators are scrutinised and the Executive is required to account.
2.5.2 Outcome
The Constitution requires that Parliament maintain oversight over the Executive to
ensure a government that is open, responsive and accountable. The outcome of
Parliament is therefore orientated towards ensuring responsive and accountable
government. Recent information indicates that accountability in South Africa is
diminishing. This should be of concern, as the main purpose of Parliament and
other organs of state are to ensure open, responsive and accountable government.
The imperative to strengthen oversight and accountability, in the state as a whole,
will require more openness, transparency, collaboration, and more rigorous
scrutiny and investigation. The discussion by Members in both the planning
sessions of the National Council of Provinces and the National Assembly, were
dominated by the key themes of stronger oversight and more public involvement.

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2.5.3 Outputs
The outputs of Parliament include Bills, budget recommendations, appointment

recommendations, approved interventions and agreements, and other resolutions.
In the context of the 6th Parliament, the main output surrounds the scrutiny and
approval of the annual budget, as presented in the form of money Bills (Division of
Revenue Bill and Appropriation Bill). The process by which Parliament oversees,
scrutinises and approves the annual budget is set out in the Money Bills
Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act, Act 9 of 2009. The key focus
here is how Parliament can scrutinise and influence the budget process through its
oversight and budget recommendations.
2.5.4 Activities
Activities in Parliament include the passing of legislation, overseeing and

scrutinising executive action, the facilitation of public involvement, functions around
co-operative government and international participation. These activities are
mainly constituted as plenary and committee meetings, and the work performed by
Members in constituencies and internationally.
The strategic priority of strengthening oversight and accountability will require

improvement in two key activity areas:
• improving committee scrutiny and oversight work, and

• improving the effectiveness of public involvement.
Committee oversight activities will need to yield deeper scrutiny of executive action,
ensure more effective public engagement, and deliver more effective
recommendations. In addition to strengthening oversight activities in committees,
the oversight work performed in constituencies and plenaries must also be
improved.
2.5.5 Inputs
Inputs relate to Members’ capacity, advisory and information services, and related
facilities and support used in the activities of Parliament. Improvements in key
inputs will be required for the successful implementation of the strategy. These
include:
• more time for committee oversight,

• greater Member capacity-building and empowerment,
• improvement of research and analysis to provide deeper insights, and
• ensuring effective public involvement, petitions and submissions.
Transforming the inputs and activities will require that Parliament utilises its
available opportunities including adopting technology faster into its processes,
building stronger partnerships, utilising existing skills and expertise, drawing on the
collective strengths of the legislative sector, and ensuring greater efficiency to
reduce costs and ensure long-term sustainability.

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Strategy map for the 6th Parliament

Strengthen oversight and accountability
Reduce poverty, unemployment

Impact 2030 and inequality
Increase government’s
Outcome 2024
responsiveness & accountability
Improved oversight of Money Bills
Outputs and legislation
Constituency oversight work Committee oversight work Plenary oversight work
Activities Individual Member

Deeper More effective More effective Questions, debates,
activities scrutiny involvement recommendations statements
Oversight Time for Enhanced Deeper Public

Inputs plan committees Member capacity insights submissions
Figure 2: Strategy map for the 6th Parliament
Using the above elements of impact, outcomes, outputs, activities and inputs, the
following logic of the strategy map can be constructed:
 Improving quality of life requires faster transformation and service delivery,

increasing employment, eradicating poverty and reducing inequality;
 Increasing the pace and quality of service delivery will require a more
responsive and accountable government;
 Greater responsiveness and accountability by the executive will require
Parliament to strengthen oversight and involvement;
 Stronger oversight will require deeper scrutiny by committees, more
effective public involvement and hearings, and more effective
recommendations and resolutions by the Houses;
 In turn, deeper scrutiny by committees will require more time allocated for
oversight activities, enhanced Member capacity to ensure effectiveness,
deeper insights into issues at hand, and active involvement by the public in
the form of submissions.
 Business process and administrative improvements will be required to
change these inputs. This will necessitate an adjustment in the programme
of Parliament; providing more effective programmes aimed at capacity-
building; delivering more insightful research and analysis; providing the
public with better information and access to participate; and improving the
tracking and monitoring of Parliamentary business and Executive
implementation.

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III. PART C: STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE AND MEASURES
3.1 Impact 2030 – Improving quality of life
The Constitution envisages improving the quality of life of all citizens and freeing the
potential of each person. The Bill of Rights, as the cornerstone of our democracy,
enshrines socio-economic rights and affirms human dignity. Improving quality of life
is therefore the desired and planned impact.
In pursuing this societal impact, government developed the National Development

Plan (NDP), setting out how quality of life will be improved by 2030. The plan
reflects measures and objectives to increase employment, eradicate poverty and
reduce inequality. The challenge for Parliament is to ensure that Government
delivers on the NDP.
3.1.1 Impact statement
Impact statement Improve quality of life
3.1.2 Impact indicators
Nr Indicator 2030 target
Ind 1 Poverty NDP targets *
Ind 2 Unemployment NDP targets *
Ind 3 Inequality NDP targets *

*The NDP impact targets for 2030 will be reviewed. Parliament will use StatsSA information to track the impact
indicators and will therefore not collect this information.
3.2 Outcome 2024 – Increase government’s responsiveness and

accountability
The Constitution requires that Parliament maintain oversight over the Executive to
ensure that government is open, responsive and accountable. When effectively
executed, these functions culminate in the realisation of the constitutional outcome
of ensuring open, responsive and accountable government.
Recent information indicates that accountability in South Africa is diminishing. This

should be of concern, as the main purpose of Parliament and other organs of state
are to ensure open, responsive and accountable government. The imperative to
strengthen oversight and accountability, in the state as a whole, will require more
openness, transparency, collaboration, and more rigorous scrutiny and investigation.

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Against this backdrop, Parliament determined its 2024 outcome goal: to increase
government’s responsiveness and accountability.
3.2.1 Outcome statement
Increase government accountability by strengthening oversight

Outcome statement
over the Executive by 2024
3.1.2 Outcome indicators
Nr Indicator 2024 target
Performance rate
Ind 4 (% planned performance met - financial and non- 100% *
financial)
Responsiveness rate
Ind 5 (% plans and reports, replies to questions, 100% *
undertakings implemented)
* The strategic plan was adjusted to align with the new guidelines issued by government. As a consequence, new
indicators were required for the outcome level. The new indicators will be finalised, including baselines and 2024
targets.
Improve
Strengthen oversight to ensure
quality of life
more responsive and accountable
government
Stronger
oversight by
Parliament
More responsive and

accountable government

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3.3 Planned performance, resources and key risks
3.3.1 Intervention logic
Using the elements of impact, outcomes, outputs, activities and inputs, the following
intervention logic can be constructed:
 Improving quality of life requires faster transformation and service delivery,

thereby increasing employment, eradicating poverty and reducing inequality;
 Increasing the pace of service delivery and transformation will require more
responsive and accountable government;
 Greater responsiveness and accountability by the executive will require
Parliament to strengthen oversight and involvement;
 Stronger oversight will require deeper scrutiny by committees, more effective
public involvement and hearings, and more effective recommendations and
resolutions by the Houses;
 In turn, deeper scrutiny by committees will require more time allocated for
oversight activities, enhanced Member capacity to ensure effectiveness, deeper
insights into issues at hand, and active involvement by the public in the form of
submissions and representations;
 These will require an adjustment in the programme of Parliament; providing
more effective programmes aimed at capacity-building; delivering more insightful
research and analysis; providing the public with better information and access to
participate; and improving the tracking and monitoring of Parliamentary business
and Executive implementation.
3.3.2 Budget programmes and estimates
The programme structure supports the outcomes and strategic intent as set out in
this plan. The budget programme and organisational structures are regularly
reviewed to ensure improved strategy implementation. A review of these structures
will be implemented in 2020 as part of strategy alignment. The new structures will
be implemented in the 2021/22 financial year. The budget programme for
Parliament (Vote 2) consists of the following programmes:
 Programme 1: Strategic Leadership and Governance – Programme 1

provides political and strategic leadership, governance and institutional
policy, communication and co-ordination, and oversee the development and
the implementation of Parliament’s strategic plan, annual performance plan
and budget. The programme includes the Parliamentary Budget Office, and
the Office for Institutions Supporting Democracy.
 Programme 2: Administration – Programme 2 provides strategic leadership

support and management, institutional policy and governance, capacity-
building programmes for Members, overall management and administration,
sector co-ordination, internal audit and financial management, as well as the
Registrar of Members’ Interests.

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 Programme 3: Core Business – Programme 3 provides procedural and legal

advice, analysis, information and research, language services, content and
secretarial services, as well as legislative drafting services for meetings of
the National Assembly, National Council of Provinces and their committees.
The programme further provides public education, information and access to
support public participation, and support for parliamentary international
engagement.
 Programme 4: Support Services – Programme 4 provides institutional

communication services, human resource management, information
communication technology, institutional support services and Members’
support services.
 Programme 5: Associated Services – Programme 5 provides travel,

communication and other facilities for Members of Parliament to fulfill their
duties as elected public representatives. It also provides financial support to
political parties represented in Parliament, their leaders, and constituency
offices.
3.3.3 Vote 2: Parliament – Appropriated funds
Programme Medium-term revenue estimate
R million 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24

Economic classification
Total Departmental Receipts
Appropriated Funds 2 331.6 2 429.4 2 471.2
Direct Charges 541,0 561.2 598.9
Donor Funds 37.7 39.3 41.3
Sales by market establishments
Interest Received 10.0 9.0 8.5
Other Revenue 15.9 16.5 17.3
Total Receipts 2 936.2 3 055.4 3 137.2
3.3.4 Vote 2: Parliament - Proposed expenditure
Programme Medium-term expenditure estimate

R million 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24
Programme 1: Leadership & Governance 149.3 160.0 166.1
Programme 2: Administration 171.3 177.4 181.1
Programme 3: Core Business 761.8 830.7 845.2
Programme 4: Support Services 477.8 511.0 524.6
Programme 5: Associated Services 835.0 815.1 821.3
Subtotal 2 395.2 2 494.2 2 538.3
Direct charge against the National 541.0 561.2 598.9
Revenue Fund
Total 2 936.2 3 055.4 3 137.2
3.3.5 Associated risks
As part of the strategic planning process, Parliament developed a strategic analysis

based on developing trends and issues in the external and internal environment.

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This analysis also identified major risks and threats present in the operating
environment. The main risks and constraints identified include:
a. Budget constraints: As mentioned above, economic growth was slow at the

time when the strategy for the 5th Parliament was adopted. Consequently,
some policy priorities and strategic initiatives could not be fully executed
due to the constrained fiscus, and by extension the revenue of Parliament.
This compelled Parliament to introduce a number of cost-containment
measures. The 2017/18 to 2019/20 financial years saw reductions in budget
for operational expenditure, with budget pressures in almost all areas of
work where remuneration and operating costs are increasing at a rate
above the inflationary adjustment.
b. Unsustainable cost of the wage bill: The reductions in budget necessitated

a freeze in some positions in the organisational structure. However, this did
not resolve the problem as the high cost of compensation continued to put
pressure on the institutional budget.
c. Lack of, and aging physical facilities: Parliament is mainly dependent on the
Department of Public Works for the provision of physical facilities. While
there is a need for more space, this cannot be easily attained due to this
dependency. Consequently, the parliamentary precinct is under serious
strain, and facilities require maintenance, renovation and modernisation.
An unconducive environment can trigger secondary risks, including security
risks.
d. Aging technological infrastructure: The fourth industrial revolution requires

institutions to rethink their information technology strategies. However, due
to the budget constraint, Parliament finds it difficult to invest in modern
technology and systems. Even in instances where such investments have
been made, there is a slow adoption of technology and of new working
ways.
e. Inability to execute strategy and change initiatives: Organisational climate

surveys pointed out that the institution’s ability to execute strategy is
presently impaired. In addition, certain envisaged changes will require the
buy in and support of external stakeholders. Internal and external capacity
will be required to achieve the strategy.
f. Failure of 3rd party service providers: The value chain in Parliament is

supported by various service providers. A disruption in these services may
adversely affect the work of Parliament. Recent disruptions in the supply of
energy, water, communication, transport and other services influence the
effectiveness of the institution.
g. Risk of disintermediation. Disintermediation is the process of removing the

middleman or intermediary from transacting. It was traditionally accepted
that Parliaments do not have competitors. However, the access to
technology, internet, and social media has created a situation where the

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public discourse is playing itself out on social and other media. Without
Parliament adding value in the democratic chain, people might soon opt for
different solutions. Recent years has seen the rise of issue-based lobby
groups that are representing the needs of citizens. If Parliament is seen as
ineffective, these bodies will disintermediate Parliament from its role.
The process now requires Parliament to finalise the risk identification, including
more operational risks, and to decide on appropriate measures to mitigate these.
3.3.6 Strategy implementation
The strategic plan for Parliament sets the long-term impact and desired 5-year
outcome. The implementation of the impact and outcome is achieved through the
annual performance plan and associated operational plans and budgets. The
annual performance plan will specify the required outputs that must be delivered, in
order to achieve the desired outcomes. In turn, operational plans will focus on the
activities and inputs necessary to deliver outputs. The main elements of strategy
implementation include:
 Designing programmes and initiatives to implement the strategy,

 Implementing budget and organisational structures for execution of the
strategy,
 Collaboration with key partners on mutual goals,
 Managing key opportunities and risks that are present,
 Allocating funding and resources for implementation,
 Managing change programmes that are required, and
 Implementing a monitoring and evaluation framework to assess progress.

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IV. PART D: ANNEXURE
4.1. Description of the strategic management framework
The strategic management process in Parliament is regulated by the Financial

Management of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, Act 10 of 2009 as
amended, and consists of the sub-processes of:
• policy development,
• strategic planning,
• operational planning and resource allocation,
• implementation, and
• performance monitoring and evaluation.
The strategic management process is an integrated process that outlines the

institution’s approach to strategic and operational planning, budgeting and
resourcing the strategy, implementing the strategy and reporting on progress made
towards meeting goals and objectives stated in the strategic plan. In line with this
the Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, Act 10 of
2009 as amended, requires that Parliament:
a) submit a strategic plan (section 14);

b) submit an annual performance plan (section 15);
c) submit an annual budget (section 16);
d) table the strategic plan, annual performance plan, and budget (section 17);
e) appropriate and approve the use of money for each financial year (section
18);
f) conclude performance agreements (section 8);
g) submit monthly financial statements (section 51);
h) submit quarterly performance reports (section 52);
i) submit the mid-year budget and performance assessment (section 53);
j) submit the annual report (section 55 to 59); and
k) table the monthly, quarterly, mid-year and annual reports (sections 54, 59).
The composition of all related strategic management processes is known as the

institution’s Strategic Management Framework. The strategic management
framework is a conceptual model that links all related processes and activities in a
coherent arrangement. The strategic management framework is used by top
management to develop and decide on strategy, and to drive the implementation
thereof.
The strategic management framework is benchmarked against present best

practices in strategic management and incorporates the essential building blocks
required to formulate and implement strategy in any institution.

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The strategic management framework for Parliament is depicted in the figure below.
Strategic Management Framework - Parliament
Purpose, vision, mission and values
Formulation Implementation
Environmental Strategy
Goal setting Structure Control & feedback
Scanning formulation
External – OT Analysis Policy Priorities Strategic Initiatives Resources
Political, Economic, Key Issues 30-year impact Programmes Vote 2 MTEF
Social, Technology, Opportunities 5-year outcomes Budgets
Projects
Environment. Risks
Expenditure
World, Africa, Scenarios
Region, SA Results map/ Strategic planning Structures
NDP, MTSF framework
5-year Strategic Plan Operating Model
Scenarios Motivation
3-year APP and Ops Plans Budget Structure
Strategic Sector alignment
Sector Organigram/structure Performance &
decisions
Sector Framework Governance Incentives
Provinces Recommend on Leadership Recognition
Priorities, Measures and
Municipalities Culture
Strategic scorecards Collaboration
Internal – SW choices, Institutional indicators M&E
Performance Core Business, Institutional scorecard Sector Programmes
HR, Finance, Budget Balanced scorecards Gov programmes Review &
Assets, Info, allocation Int programmes Evaluation
Processes
The strategic management framework comprises of the essential building blocks

required for the formulation and implementation of strategy. The framework is
based on the vision, mission and values of the institution.
The framework consists of two main elements, strategy formulation and strategy
implementation. Strategy formulation consists of environmental scanning, strategy
formulation and goal setting. Strategy implementation consist of structure and
control and feedback.

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4.2. Technical indicator descriptors
TITLE & DEFINITION INDICATOR DESCRIPTOR
4. Performance Index
Indicator number and title
(% planned performance met - financial and non-financial)
This indicator measures the levels of financial and non-financial

Short definition performance. This includes the % of performance targets met and the %
of government expenditure as a proportion of approved budget
As a measure of accountability this indicator provides information on

Purpose/importance levels of performance by the Executive, and provides a means for
monitoring improvements in implementation by the Executive.
Desired performance
Baseline to be set
(Target)
Reporting cycle Quarterly; Annual; Mid-Term; End of Term
Departmental Documents:
Annual Performance Plans
Source and collection of
Estimates of National Expenditure
evidence documents
Quarterly Financial Statements & Reports
Annual Reports
Annual Performance Plans: Provides an outline of programmes and
activities planned by departments
Estimates of National Expenditure: Provides an outline of department

budgets
Description of evidence to
be collected (Documents) Quarterly Financial Statements & Reports: Contains department
spending and progress on targets met
Annual Reports: Provide information on targets met and department

expenditure
Performance Index =
(% Targets met) + (% government expenditure aligned with budget)/2
Method of calculation E.g. 10 of 12 targets met = 83,33%

80% of expenditure aligned with budget
Performance Rate: (83,33+80)/2= 81,67%
Calculation type Cumulative
Data limitation Data availability from departments may not be readily available
Indicator responsibility
Committees
(accountability)

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TITLE & DEFINITION INDICATOR DESCRIPTOR
5. Responsiveness Rate
Indicator number and title
(% plans and reports, replies to questions, undertakings implemented)
This indicator measures the extent to which the Executive is responsive

to Parliament, and includes compliance with the submission of plans and
Short definition
reports, response rate to questions in the Houses, and the % of
undertakings implemented
As a measure of accountability this indicator shows the level of

responsiveness by the Executive to its obligations towards Parliament,
by tracking the submission of reports and plans within the required
Purpose/importance
timeframes, the rate of response to questions asked by MPs, and the
implementation of undertakings. This is important in monitoring the
openness and transparency of the Executive.
Desired performance
Baseline to be set
(Target)
Quarterly; Annual
Reporting cycle
Mid-Term; End of Term
Table Reports (NA & NCOP)
Source and collection of
ATCs
evidence documents
Committee Report (Undertakings)
Table Reports (NA & NCOP): Contains information on tabling of reports

by the Executive
Description of evidence to
ATCs: Provides information on questions and replies
be collected (Documents)
Committee Report (Undertakings): Contains details on the
implementation of undertakings
(%plans and reports submitted within the prescribed timeframe) +

(%questions replied to) + (% undertakings implemented)/ 3
E.g.
Method of calculation 30 of 40 plans and reports submitted within prescribed time = 75%
500 answers to 750 questions = 66,67%
23 undertakings of 150 implemented = 15,33%
Responsiveness Rate: (75+66,67+15,33)/3 = 52,33%
Calculation type Cumulative
Data limitation Data on undertakings may be ambiguous
Indicator responsibility
Houses & Committees
(accountability)

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4.3 References
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. (1996). Retrieved from

https://www.gov.za/documents/constitution-republic-south-africa-1996
National Development Plan. (2012). Retrieved from

https://www.gov.za/issues/national-development-plan-2030
2018 Budget Review. National Treasury. Retrieved from

www.treasury.gov.za/documents/national%20budget/2018/review/FullBR.pdf
2019 Budget Review. National Treasury. Retrieved from

www.treasury.gov.za/documents/national%20budget/2018/review/FullBR.pdf
2019 MTBPS. National Treasury. Retrieved from

http://www.treasury.gov.za/documents/mtbps/2019/mtbps/Chapter%202.pdf
World Economic Outlook. July 2019 update. International Monetary Fund.

Retrieved from https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2020/01/20/weo-
update-january2020
World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2016. International Labour

Organisation. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/global/research/global-
reports/weso/2016/WCMS_443480/lang--en/index.htm
Human development report. (2016). United Nations Development Programme.

Retrieved from http://hdr.undp.org/en/2016-report
Unemployment in South Africa. (2018). Statistics South Africa. Retrieved from

http://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=11129
Quarterly Labour Force Survey. (2019). Statistics South Africa. Retrieved from
http://www.statssa.gov.za/
Poverty trends in South Africa. (2017) Statistics South Africa. Retrieved from
Report on stakeholder satisfaction survey for the Parliament of the Republic of

South Africa. (2017). Human Sciences Research Council. Internal document.
Report on stakeholder satisfaction survey for the Parliament of the Republic of

South Africa. (2018). Human Sciences Research Council. Internal document.
Poverty on the rise in SA. Stats SA 2018. Retrieved from

Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG). (2017). Retrieved from

http://mo.ibrahim.foundation/iiag/

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Parliament of SA - Employee and Workplace Functioning Risks. November 2017
Digital Transformation at Parliaments and Legislative Assemblies in Africa. (2017).

Ernst and Young.
The digital landscape in South Africa. (2017). Qwertydigital. Retrieved from

https://qwertydigital.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Digital-Statistics-in-South-
Africa-2017-Report.pdf
World e-Parliament Report. (2018). Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved from

https://www.ipu.org/resources/publications/reports/2018-11/world-e-parliament-
report-2018
Global Parliamentary Report – Parliamentary oversight: Parliament's power to hold

government to account. (2017). IPU and UNDP. Retrieved from
https://www.ipu.org/our-impact/strong-parliaments/setting-standards/global-
parliamentary-report/global-parliamentary-report-2017-parliamentary-oversight-
parliaments
Global Parliamentary Report – The changing nature of parliamentary

representation. (2012). IPU and UNDP. Retrieved from
https://www.ipu.org/resources/publications/reports/2016-07/global-parliamentary-
report-2012-changing-nature-parliamentary-representation
Digital dividends – world development report. (2016). World Bank. Retrieved from
www.worldbank.org
National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS Wave 1- 4, 2008 to 2014): Rural migrants
better off in cities – Mail and Guardian. 26 April 2018 – Article by Justin Visagie
and Ivan Turok. Retrieved from https://mg.co.za/article/2018-04-26-00-rural-
migrants-better-off-in-cities
Guideline for Parliamentary research services. (2016). Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Retrieved from https://www.ipu.org/.
The Sustainable Development Goals. Retrieved from

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/
Agenda 2063 – the Africa we want. Retrieved from

https://au.int/en/agenda2063/overview
SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan. Retrieved from

https://www.sadc.int/files/5415/2109/8240/SADC_Revised_RISDP_2015-2020.pdf
The Inter-Parliamentary Union Strategy 2017-2021. Retrieved from

http://archive.ipu.org/pdf/publications/strategy1721-e.pdf
Strategic Analysis for Parliament. 2019. Internal document.

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Strategic Plan for Parliament

Statement by the Executive Authority ......................................................................... 3

Statement by the Accounting Officer ........................................................................... 5

I. PART A: THE MANDATE OF PARLIAMENT .......................................................... 8

1.2 Mandate of Parliament................................................................................ 10

II. PART B: STRATEGIC FOCUS OF THE 6TH PARLIAMENT ................................. 14

2.1 Vision ......................................................................................................... 14

2.2 Mission ....................................................................................................... 14

2.3 Values ........................................................................................................ 14

2.4 Situational analysis relevant to Parliament.................................................. 14

2.5 Policy priorities for the 6th Parliament......................................................... 24

III. PART C: STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE AND MEASURES............................... 27

3.1 Impact 2030 – Improving quality of life........................................................ 27

3.2 Outcome 2024 – Increase government’s accountability .............................. 27

3.3 Planned performance, resources and key risks .......................................... 29

IV. PART D: ANNEXURE ........................................................................................ 33

4.1. Description of the strategic management framework ................................. 33

4.2. Technical indicator descriptors .................................................................. 35

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa | Strategic Plan 2019-2024

Statement by the Executive Authority

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa | Strategic Plan 2019-2024

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa | Strategic Plan 2019-2024

Statement by the Accounting Officer

The Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, Act 10 of

Against this backdrop, Parliament determined its 2024 outcome of increasing

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa | Strategic Plan 2019-2024

Performance information Performance information includes planning, budgeting,

Impact Impacts are changes in conditions. These are the results of

Outcome The medium term results which are the consequence of

Outputs The final tangible products, or goods and services delivered as a

Activities These are processes or actions which use a range of inputs to

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa | Strategic Plan 2019-2024

Risks A potential, unintended outcome that will affect the achievement

Indicator An indicator is a predetermined signal, at a specific point in a

Baseline The current level of performance that the institution aims to

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa | Strategic Plan 2019-2024

I. PART A: THE MANDATE OF PARLIAMENT

1.1.1 Introducing strategic planning in Parliament

1.1.2 Finance Management of Parliament Act

With the promulgation of the Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial

Accordingly, the Executive Authority of Parliament oversees the preparation of

The strategic plan must -

a) cover the next five years or another period determined by Parliament;

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa | Strategic Plan 2019-2024

e) include performance measures and indicators for assessing the administration’s

1.1.3 Strategic management process in Parliament

Parliament adopted an integrated strategic management framework in 2018, setting

The strategic management framework comprises of the essential building blocks

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa | Strategic Plan 2019-2024

 The Sustainable Development Goals - a collection of 17 global goals

1.2 Mandate of Parliament

1.2.1 Legislative mandate

 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996;

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa | Strategic Plan 2019-2024

 Mandating Procedures of Provinces Act, Act 52 of 2008; and

1.2.2 Business of Parliament

The strategic outcomes, budget programme structure and the organisational

The Constitution sets a single, sovereign democratic state where government is

Parliament represents the people and provincial interests in order to ensure

Applying the construct of the logical framework to Parliament, it is possible to