PUBLICATION OF THE QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE REPORTS OF THE KWAZULU-NATAL PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS

The Quarterly Performance Reports (QPRs) is being published by the Office of the Premier to increase public accountability. The publication also makes information readily available to different stakeholders and can be used to inform policy decision making. Offices of the Premier are responsible for the coordination of Quarterly Performance Reporting for all Provincial Departments and Public Entities from the 2015/16 financial year. Going forward in the 2015/16 financial year the Honourable Premier, Mr Senzo Mchunu, will publish the Quarterly Performance Reports of all Provincial Departments. The information has been sign-off by the relevant Head of Departments to ensure that it is verified and accurate

According to the National Department of Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation (2015) performance information is essential for effective management, including business planning, monitoring and evaluation. With appropriate information; Parliament, members of the public and other stakeholders are able to exert pressure for improvements and can better understand the issues involved (UK NAO et al., 2001).

Performance information indicates how well an organisation is performing against the aims and objectives it had set in its Annual Performance Plan. Good performance information helps identify what policies and processes work and why they work. Making the best use of available data and knowledge is critical to improving the performance of government as a whole.

Performance information therefore plays a crucial role in:

• indicating progress against objectives;
• prompting an external focus by public institutions on transparency, accountability, and progress on service delivery;
• ensuring the best results for citizens;
• identifying gaps between policy formulation and policy implementation;
• enhancing strategic planning processes; and
• Reflecting the level of institutional capacity to actually deliver services to citizens (PIW quoted in DPME, 2015).

Legislative Mandates

The legal requirements related to the development of quarterly performance reports are reflected in the Treasury Regulations. Section 5.3.1, states that the accounting officer of an institution must establish procedures for quarterly reporting to the executive authority to facilitate effective performance monitoring, evaluation and corrective action. In addition, National Treasury issued Instruction Note 33/2011 which outlines the mandatory requirements as set out in the Framework for Strategic and Annual Performance Plans. In terms of the Framework for Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans, institutions are required to develop strategic and annual performance plans that reflect their goals, strategic objectives with five-year targets. Annual Performance Plans provide details of strategic objectives and indicators with targets for the current year and the medium term period. Targets for the current year should be broken down into quarterly targets. Progress should be reported on a quarterly basis against quarterly targets (as reflected in Annual Performance Plan) in a quarterly performance report.