The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) will reorient its approach to better support the priorities of the 7th Administration under the Government of National Unity (GNU) during the 2024/25 financial year.

To that end, the DPME will also initiate a process towards updating the National Evaluation Policy Framework (NEPF), Minister in the Presidency responsible for the DPME, Ms Maropene Ramokgopa, revealed when she delivered the Department's 2024/25 budget vote speech in Parliament today, 15 July 2024.

The new NEPF will inform the development of the next National Evaluation Plan and the Research Agenda which will cover the period of the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2024 – 2025.

Minister Ramokgopa said the DPME is also developing dashboards and data sciences tools to modernise the reporting systems on the MTDP. "This will include public facing dashboards to accompany the bi-annual reporting.We also draw insights from completed research and evaluations to influence policy decisions and improvement actions by departments," she said.

For instance, she explained, that the cost-benefit analysis on electricity pricing policy helped strengthen the justification of the policy review of the approach adopted in 2008 and indicated the prerequisites for successful implementation. "This complemented the Socio-Economic Impact Assessment System (SEIAS) in gauging the potential implications of major policy changes.

The Research on Pathways to Change provided relevant policy research evidence to strengthen Pillar 6 of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP-GBVF)."

For example, the evaluation on the National Food and Nutrition Security Plan 2018-2023 is instrumental in informing the development of the next phase of this plan for the period 2024-2029. This is critical given its relevance and the major gaps that South Africa faces on nutrition security. The Department of Agriculture will lead in taking this forward.

For the 2024/25 financial year, the DPME has been allocated a budget of R450.189 million which will be utilised to institutionalise planning, monitor and evaluate critical priorities and programmes of government and produce credible evidence that will inform future decision making.

Minister Ramokgopa said the Department will continue to strengthen its monitoring systems to gather credible evidence and advise the President and Cabinet on progress in the implementation of the set medium and long-term plans.

"Our role as the DPME is to promote coherence in government through institutionalisation of planning, development of an integrated monitoring system, evaluation of critical government programmes and production of research outputs to inform decision making," said Minister Ramokgopa.

The DPME will continue to work with the National Planning Commission (NPC), which is an advisory body of the President and custodian of the NDP, to attain the objectives and goals of the NDP and will work collectively with all partners to coordinate and integrate plans and monitor progress in the implementation of the set development outcomes.

"In the DPME, we have commenced in earnest to give expression to the electorate’s voices as encapsulated in the NDP through the coordination of the development of a working planning framework. Going forward, we will continue to make strides in policy coordination through the revival of the Policy Coordination and Advisory Services (PCAS), strengthening integrated planning and improving harmonisation of planning and synergies across the state machinery."

To ensure alignment of planning priorities and the national budget process, the DPME will maintain the production of the Budget Prioritisation Framework (BPF). The DPME budget vote statement reflects the Department's utmost commitment to ensure the success of the administration and the principles adopted by the GNU as led by His Excellency President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa.

For media engagements with Minister Maropene Ramokgopa contact Ms Keitumetse Fatimata Moutloatse on 073 532 6161 or email Keitumetse@dpme.gov.za

For media enqueries related to the work of the DPME, please contact:
Mr Lawrence Ngoveni 
Cell: 082 824 3060 
E-mail Lawrence.Ngoveni@dpme.gov.za

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