The South Africa Provincial Legislatures (SAPL) Support Programme
Last Updated on Thursday, 06 September 2012 14:26 Written by Communications Intern Thursday, 17 February 2011 10:21
Political Coordinator
Hon. Jan Roegiers (Flanders)
Background
Since 1996, the AWEPA SAPL Programme has operated in a broader South African political context, whereby constitutional power is shared between three spheres of government (national, provincial and local government), which are expected to function based on the principle of cooperative governance. In this framework, service delivery is located with the provincial state level – and the provinces share concurrent powers with the national sphere to formulate and implement policies related to education, health, housing and social welfare, among others. The Provincial Legislatures have also had the additional responsibility to oversee the performance of the provincial departments and facilitate public participation in governance processes. As the first-decade of post-apartheid South Africa was mainly dedicated to policy formulation, the second-decade is mainly devoted to the proper implementation of policies through oversight and public participation.
It is in the context of this second decade that the SAPL Programme has become even more relevant, now focusing on the promotion of service delivery and poverty reduction. As a response to the call for the South African Provincial Legislatures to exercise more vigorous and effective oversight, the AWEPA-SAPL Programme has contributed to the capacity building of the Provincial Legislatures, as well as to those involved in public participation and law-making. This programme has been made possible through the financial support of the SDC and the Flemish Government.
Objective
To enhance the performance of the South African Provincial Legislatures in their oversight, legislation roles, as well as to better facilitate public participation.
Impacts
The Programme has been particularly effective in building the basic capacity of members in oversight, as well as in driving best practice sharing on public participation; through the development of the Forums such as Knowledge Management, Committees’ sections Forums, and other relevant workshop interventions. Some of the examples of the impacts generated by the AWEPA-SAPL Programme include:
- Improved budgeting and budget analysis skills by researchers, MPLs and senior Managers in Northern Cape Provincial Legislature;
- Improved leadership skills as well as positive organisational and individual behavioural changes among staff and Members;
- Review of Annual Performance Plans in
- Increased on-site oversight, as opposed to traditional model of interrogating departmental reports, and outreach visits to engage communities in a number of Legislatures.
Example Activity
Workshop on Accountability and Oversight for Members of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature
In 2011 AWEPA organised a series of workshops on accountability and oversight for Members of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature. As a result of these workshops a number of impacts have been made, including the adoption of a Petition Act, which enables ordinary community members to initiate and submit complaints on service delivery. Through on-site visits, committee members are able to follow-up with the compliant as well as demand resolution of the problems in service delivery to the relevant provincial department.
The Limpopo Provincial Legislature has since testified to the SAPL evaluation team in 2012, that the adoption of the Petition Act has enabled the Legislature to conduct several oversight visits to remote villages, which has substantially improved service provision to the community, whereby the acting secretary of the Legislature recently received a phone call from the community representative who expressed the community’s gratitude for the support provided by the Legislature.
Switzerland (SDC)
Belgium (Flanders)
