Chairperson, yes, we are going through difficult times, but we will weather the storm. Ackerman continues to say:
... we are well equipped to weather the storm. Every period of storm is followed by an era of revitalisation and reinvigorated energy in which our ability to rise to the challenges and remake the world is tested. Our country has time and time again demonstrated its capacity to respond with innovation and initiative to changing economic, political and social circumstances - and I have no doubt we shall continue to do so.
The Freedom Charter enjoins us to:
... pledge ourselves to strive together, sparing neither strength nor courage, until the democratic changes here set out have been won; and to fight for these freedoms, side by side, throughout our lives, until we have won our liberty.
The Green Paper on Improving Government Performance refers to non- negotiables to guide improved government performance: provision of principled leadership underpinned by making tough decisions; strengthening co-operation across the three spheres of government; building partnerships between government and civil society; complete transparency; the resolve to do more with less despite limited resources; and developing a skilled and motivated Public Service that takes pride in what it does and is recognised for quality service delivery.
In a book of the early 1980s entitled In Search of Excellence, by Peters and Waterman, they say that to be successful you need a champion. If you want to get something done, you need a champion.
Minister Chabane, to drive this initiative you will need to identify champions, people with proven track records in their own fields who will be committed to driving the process and getting the desired results. Setting targets, monitoring progress and holding public servants accountable will require strong leadership.
A good example is the Fifa World Cup. As soon as the announcement was made, planning was done and the targets set to run a successful event. All along the way there were deadlines that had to be achieved, progress was closely monitored, obstacles had to be overcome and problems worked through together with all the partners. As we stand now it looks as if we are just about ready to deliver on a very successful World Cup, and I encourage us to all wear those Bafana jerseys on a Friday - an excellent idea! [Applause.]
By securing the right to host the World Cup, Danny Jordaan and his team showed that he was a champion. It was right, therefore, that he should go on to steer the ship for organising the tournament proper. We need to appoint more champions like him in all fields. Having progressive policies and the interests of the poor and underdeveloped at heart does not necessarily translate into improved performance. The quality and standards of service have seen a significant decline over the past years despite the massive budget increases there have been. In fact, there has been much squandering and mismanagement of our scarce resources, and we acknowledge that. So, we welcome this Green Paper. [Interjections.]
In order to be more reflective, it is also important to identify some of the reasons that have contributed to government not delivering quality service. Again I refer to Minister Chabane's speech, in which he includes, amongst other -
... lack of political will, inadequate leadership management weaknesses ... The absence of a strong performance culture and effective rewards and sanctions has also played a part.
The Green Paper sets out a process which requires us to convert the inputs we have into those important outputs we want to measure. This part of the process is about improving our efficiency; it is about reducing the unit cost of the service we provide. It assists us with clarifying goals, quantities and time limits that are realistic so that we have something to monitor instead of waiting for the Auditor-General to pick up on poor, or worse still, a lack of delivery.
Unfortunately, the N2 Gateway Housing Project is a case in point. What started out as an exciting Breaking New Ground project has ended up with many unhappy beneficiaries.
Our commitment, as the ANC, is to ensure delivery to the people of South Africa, particularly the poor people, but it will have to be quality delivery. That is why this Paper indicates that the President, Cabinet and the rest of government would agree on 25 to 30 outcomes, based on the Medium-Term Strategic Framework.
It further introduces the concept of measuring outcomes. This involves identification of an outcome and definition of output measures, description of key activities and listing inputs. It should be noted that this process is outcomes-based and therefore the first link in the chain is outcomes. Inputs are made with clear outcomes in mind. This will increase the capacity of government to perform optimally and maximise its ability to deliver quality services to the people.
Parliament, in its oversight role, will need to be vigilant. If we fail we all fail, but if we succeed we all succeed.
In the ANC manifesto President Jacob Zuma said:
There is still much to do to reach our goals and new challenges have arisen. We have to ensure that we grow the economy to meet the needs of our people squarely. Lasting victory over poverty and hunger requires the creation of decent work opportunities and sustainable livelihoods. Education must be at the centre of our efforts to improve the potential of every citizen and enable each one of us to play a productive role in building our nation. The quality of services the government will provide must be improved.
[Interjections.]
We admit, as the ANC, that the people are crying out there and we dare not fail them. The ANC welcomes this Green Paper initiative on improving government performance. I think I need extra time with all this heckling! Thank you. [Interjections.] [Applause.]