GDF Annual Report - Gauteng Provincial Treasury

FOREWORD BY THE MECAs an activist, developmental and interventionistdepartment, we are moving with the necessary speedto ensure a targeted and balanced approach in theallocation of both financial and non-financial resourcesto areas that support the achievement of our prioritiesas reflected in the GPG Medium Term StrategicFramework.Indeed, the past financial year has seen GautengDepartment of Finance making significant progresson key performance areas aimed at ensuring that weimplement our mandate effectively. In line with ourroadmap to achieve the goals we set for ourselves by2014, we’ve moved with the necessary speed to:• Increase fiscal management capacity to achieveoperational efficiency and promote accountabilityin government;• Provide strategic leadership and technical supportin fiscal management and discipline;• Develop and implement efficient internal systemsand processes; and• Provide guidance and leadership in theimplementation of fiscal management reforms forboth provincial and local government.• Identify and leverage alternative revenue streams;• Provide strategic and operational support todepartments and municipalities in the delivery oftheir mandates.This we have done, and will continue to do in futurebecause it contributes significantly to the achievementof Gauteng Provincial Government’s goal of building adevelopmental state that is efficient in the way it conductits business, is responsive to the needs of people andquicker in the manner in which it provides services tocommunities. Hence GPG’s tagline: “Kuyasheshwa,Gauteng Working Better”.Information contained in this Annual Reportindicates that we have made significant progress inthe configuration of the department to provide theleadership necessary for a development state that weare in the process of creating to appropriately respondto the needs of our people.In this regard we have finalised the merger of theGauteng Treasury, Gauteng Shared Services Centreand the Gauteng Fund Project Office. The Departmentof Public Service and Administration has endorsedthe organisational structure of GDF, which provides anoperational framework for our department. The nextfinancial year will see us placing existing personnel inpositions and fill funded vacant posts.We moved with the necessary speed to reconfigurethe Shared Services Centre in line with therecommendations of the review process. There is nodoubt that we will complete this process as planned.The SSC will become strategic and highly focused,streamlining and improving transactional processeswhile realising economies of scale through the bulkbuying power of the provincial government.This report also provides details of the measuresthat we have taken to enhance the internal controlenvironment and improve financial management inthe province. Amongst other things, in line with thePresidential directive, we introduced the outcomesbased budgeting approach. Our focus in this regardwas to ensure that scares resources are allocated toprogrammes aligned with the priorities of the provincialgovernment; and departments work together toaccelerate implementation.Furthermore, we continued with our austerity measures,shifting funds from non-core to core programmes andprojects. Our focus, as always, was to facilitate strict costcontainment measures, tight contract managementprocesses and stringent payment plans to ensurecompliance with the Public Finance ManagementAct. Our aim in this regard has been on ensuring thatdepartments spend within their allocated budgets andthat there is no wastage.22Annual Report 2010 / 2011