Parliament, Thursday, 5 May 2022 – Led by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Chairperson, Mr Amos Masondo and the NCOP Deputy Chairperson, Ms Sylvia Lucas, Parliament of the Republic of South Africa will tomorrow, Friday, 6 May, host a State Capability Conference from 9am until 3pm.

The Conference is organized under the theme: “State Capability: Delineating Weaknesses, Devising Strategic Mechanisms to Accelerate Policy Implementation.” 

This, upon Parliament having realized and in recognition of the nation-wide gathered views - that South Africa has a variety of strategic policies and legislative instruments but, there is a dire need to strengthen the state machinery to level the grounds for sufficient capabilities to implement these policies in order to progressively advance the country’s transformation agenda.

The Parliament’s virtual State Capability Conference is mainly aimed at:

  • Undertaking a broad and in-depth state capacity analysis.
  • Analysis of state institutions weaknesses, including SOEs.
  • To assess public sector administration and bureaucratic weaknesses across the three spheres and how Parliament can begin to build oversight strategies that are targeted at these weaknesses (State Capacity Oversight Mechanisms).
  • Identification of institutional blockages and practices that hinder policy implementation, particularly in relation to poverty reduction and inclusive growth policy frameworks.
  • To propose innovative solutions and mechanisms to embolden and replenish state capacities.

Ms Lucas will be at the fore-front to open the enticing programme in contextualizing the event looking at the critical imperatives of state capability to accelerate policy implementation in the current developmental landscape; the prevailing state capacity challenges as expressed in the National Development Plan (NDP); the unevenness in capacity that results to irregular performance in local, provincial and national government; the tensions in the political-administrative interface and the retrogressive impact of deficient state capacity in the advancement of the South African developmental agenda, etc.

Among major topical issues for discussion, the NCOP Chairperson, Mr Masondo will outline the impact of state capability on three sphere coordination processes in governance; the role of the NCOP in giving expression to its three-sphere oversight mandate, through targeted-state capability oversight activities; the establishment of social compacts to strengthen and rebuild the state capacity for the accelerated policy implementation.

In order to ensure that this pioneering session is all inclusive and adequately responsive to the outlined objectives, the Conference will be addressed by a number of distinguished guests that will considerately contribute their wealth of knowledge in their slots during tomorrow’s programme; namely:

  1. Mr Mondli Gungubele, (MP), Minister in the Presidency.
  2. Ms Nomalungelo Gina, (MP), Deputy Minister Trade and Industry.
  3. Professor N Bohler-Muller - Head of Department: Developmental, Capable and Ethical State - Human Science Research Council.
  4. Professor Mzukisi Qobo - Head of the Wits School of Governance, University of the Witswatersrand.
  5. Dr Matheakuena Mohale - Director: Special Projects, Office of the Vice Chancellor, Durban University of Technology.
  6. Dr Xolisile Ngumbela - School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg and
  7. Ms. Kholiswa Malindini - Wits School of Governance, University of the Witswatersran.

The State Capability Conference is scheduled through the institution’s Sector Parliaments programme, which is one of the key public participation activities that play a pivotal role in the creation of platforms for strategic engagements on matters of national importance. The latter also helps greatly in the harvesting of knowledge and expertise of thought leaders, academics and industry leaders, to enable Parliament to advance the country’s transformation agenda.


DETAILS OF PARLIAMENTS’ VIRTUAL STATE CAPABILITY CONFERENCE:

Date: Friday, 6 May 2022

Time: 09:00

Venue: Virtual Platform


Parliamentary meetings are open to the media and the public. Journalists who are interested in covering these meetings (including receiving links to virtual meetings) are requested to forward their cellphone numbers to Mlindi Mpindi on email mmpindi@parliament.gov.za for inclusion in the Parliamentary Communications Services WhatsApp Group, where such information is shared. Journalists are urged to forward these requests using their official email addresses (no private emails).


Members of the public may get involved and follow committee sittings live on Parliament TV (DSTV Channel 408), via live stream on Parliament YouTube channel and Twitter page on the links below.


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ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo (Acting Spokesperson, Manelisi Wolela – 076 062 2180)