Office of the Premier Annual Report 2009-2010 - Gauteng Online

2.3.4 Overview of the Service Delivery EnvironmentBased on the Manifesto, the GPG has adopted the followingstrategic priorities for the five-year term from 2009-2014:• Creating decent work and building a growing, inclusive economy.• Promoting quality education and skills development.• Providing better health care for all• Stimulating rural development and food security.• Intensifying the fight against crime and corruption.• Building cohesive and sustainable communities.• Strengthening the developmental state and good governance.In this context, the Office of the Premier has a key role to play insupporting the effective assertion of the political authority of thePremier and the EXCOM as the centre of government in Gautengin driving the implementation of the electoral mandate. It is thusimperative that the Office of the Premier, in support of the Premierin her political, constitutional and executive role, strengthens its roleas a political nerve centre to ensure effective oversight, monitoringand evaluation in relation to the implementation of government’sprogramme and priorities in Gauteng. The Office must also undertakecentralised planning for the province as a whole and ensure effectivework in relation to policy, research, communication, governmentrelations and the forging of partnerships to achieve a common vision.The Premier has indicated that the new term of office must becharacterised by renewal in everything that we do. This must beembedded across government and demonstrated by civil servantsin their work as they respond to and implement the new electoralmandate. In this new term, civil servants must be able to act speedily(“kuyasheshwa”) and be more responsive to the needs of the public.Another key consideration is the need to cut back on unnecessaryexpenditure in the context of the recession and a decline in publicrevenue, and ensure that resources reach the point of service deliveryin communities and that they have maximum impact.Given the changes in mandate and strategic posture highlightedabove, the Office of the Premier embarked on a reprioritisationexercise to align programmes and activities to the new priorities andalso to make resources available for new areas of work.The primary aim of the reprioritisation process for the Office was to:• Support the assertion of the political authority of the Premier andEXCO at the centre of government• Strengthen the centre to drive the implementation of the electoralmandate and strategic priorities• Play a key role in relation to planning, overseeing, driving,coordinating, monitoring and initiating corrective action inrelation to the electoral mandate, the short, medium and longtermstrategic priorities and the annual POA• Play a key role in building the developmental state.In addition, the reprioritisation was informed by the followingprinciples:• Commitment to building and participating in a caring andresponsive public service• Increased focus on accountability and transparency• Commitment to utilising public resources for the benefit of thepublic and not for corrupt purposes, including in the conduct ofprocurement• Reviewing key policies and strategies to respond to new prioritiesand to improve implementation• Improving government systems, eliminating inefficiencies andduplication, and “doing more with less”.The process has resulted in the Office of the Premier focusing on:• Centralised planning including short, medium and long-rangeplanning through the GPC• Monitoring and evaluating government performance throughthe GPC• EXCO renewal and the cabinet communication system• Strengthening government relations and partnerships• The service delivery renewal programme• Integrated programmes on vulnerable and targeted groupsincluding women, people with disabilities, youth and militaryveterans• Driving key public and community campaigns linked to priorities.The reprioritisation process also informed the realignment of theOffice’s budget through the shifting of funds from Gauteng CityRegion (GCR) projects, the Premier’s Service Excellence Award projectand branding and marketing into the following areas:• The Gauteng Planning Commission18