IGR report.indd - Gauteng Online

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• IGR should facilitate coordination, integration and alignment of planning, budgeting, implementation andreporting across the three spheres of government.1.4 ChallengesIt is important to identify and clearly define the challenges that are impediments to the seamless co-ordination ofintergovernmental relations (IGR) in the Province in order to develop the appropriate policy interventions to addressthem. Various mediums and forums were engaged to identify these challenges and formulate responses to them.These included, but were not limited to, assessments on the current state of IGR in the Province conducted by boththe Office of the Premier and the Department of Local Government and Housing. The IGR Conference convenedin November 2009 further provided an opportunity to discuss these challenges and deliberate on the appropriateinterventions needed to address them. The key challenges can be summarized as follows:The IGR Framework Act provides the general principles for co-operative governance and the regulation of IGR Forumsby giving guidelines to govern internal IGR procedures and a framework for the settlement of IGR disputes. While theFramework Act provides for the above, it has the following limitations:••Limiting the scope of government to exclude independent institutions and public agencies to form part of the threespheres of government;••Parliament and provincial legislatures have been excluded from the Act. In the case of local government, however,municipal councils, performing both legislative and executive actions, are bound by the Framework Act;••The IGR Framework Act is not mandatory and provides no penalties for non-compliance;••The decisions taken in IGR Forums are not binding. The IGR Forums are there to provide a place for discussionand consultation on areas requiring cooperation between government spheres;••Linkages between Metros are not legislated except where one voluntarily approaches another; and••IGR Forums at Sector Department level are not explicitly catered for in the Act.However, the IGRF Act allows for flexibility in addressing the Provincial specific challenges of cooperative government. It isan enabling Act that provides space for flexibility and negotiations within certain broad parameters.Another key challenge is the lack of a Gauteng Provincial IGR Framework that will unpack the current bottlenecks in the IGRSystem of the Province and formulate appropriate interventions. This Framework seeks to address the latter challenge byaligning IGR systems to be responsive to the provincial developmental agenda.12 Gauteng IntergovernmentalRelations Framework
2 Institutional ArrangementsIntergovernmental Relations in the Province is currently centered on the Extended Executive Council Lekgotla andPremier’s Co-ordination Forum (PCF). These intergovernmental structures were already in existence when Act 13of 2005 took effect and the former meet on quarterly basis while the later meets annually. In terms of the IGRFramework Act IGRF Act the Premier of Gauteng is responsible for IGR co-ordination. Functionally, the relationshipbetween the Gauteng Provincial Government and national government is mediated through the interactions that thevarious Members of Executive Councils (MECs) and the Premier have with their national counterparts. Historically,these relationships have been conducted through the national intergovernmental forums, called MinMecs as wellas the President’s Coordinating Council and the Forum of South African Directors General (FOSAD). The ExtendedExecutive Council Lekgotla is the vital vehicle that ensures that medium strategic priorities and programmes for theProvince are adopted by the Provincial EXCO and Municipalities. The Lekgotla is the forum where the two spheres ofgovernment agrees and adopts the priorities and programmes for the whole of government.Within the context of the electoral policy mandate and strategic priorities of the Province and by building on the existingfoundations, to realize vision 2055, the GPG has established the Gauteng Planning Commission. The purpose ofestablishing the Commission is to facilitate short, medium and long term planning and embark upon a process todevelop a shared vision with the people of Gauteng. The work of the Commission in the context of the ExtendedExecutive Council Lekgotla process and the development of the provincial Intergovernmental Programme of Actionand strategic outcomes assists and complement the province in building a developmental state which has the capacityto effect socio-economic transformation through clear and strategic integrated programmes and plans.The Provincial Planning Cycle begins in September of each year with Departments reviewing their annual performanceplans and planning for the following year and the medium term. Each department will produce short, medium andlong - term priorities as well as mid- term reports and a mid-term review. The draft annual performance plans andthe budget statements for the forthcoming financial year are finalized by November/December. At municipal level theplanning process begins in August with the IDPs reviewed after the adoption of IDP process plans. Between Septemberand November the priority setting and consultations phase kicks in. The IDPs and budget are adopted by council inJune. The different budget and planning cycles of the three spheres present a challenge which can be addressed bystreamlining the provincial IGR processes and thus ensuring government works in an integrated fashion.A number of provincial Departments have made significant progress in initiating different forms of intergovernmentalengagements with municipalities. This progress includes the establishment of a number of IGR Forums between theMECs and Portfolio Councilors (MMCs), which are central and important to integrated planning and service delivery.Gauteng IntergovernmentalRelations Framework13
Page 1 and 2: gauteng IntergovernMentalrelatIons
Page 3 and 4: ForewordBy Premier Nomvula Mokonyan
Page 5 and 6: oFFICIal sIgn-oFFIt is hereby certi
Page 7 and 8: Contents1 Introduction and Context
Page 9 and 10: 1 Introduction and ContextThe Inter
Page 11: • adhering to agreed procedures;
Page 15 and 16: The structure is also important for
Page 17 and 18: 3 Integrated Development Plan (IDP)
Page 19 and 20: observation is also documented in t
Page 21 and 22: y members constituting such a forum
Page 23 and 24: the implementation of the Gauteng P
Page 25 and 26: 5 ConclusionThe Framework is inform
Page 27 and 28: Gauteng IntergovernmentalRelations

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