Parliamentary State Capability Conference

Session Chairperson: Hon SE Lucas, MP
Deputy Chairperson: National Council of Provinces

Time

Topic/Focus

Speaker

09h02-09h10

Opening and Contextualization: 
Contextualizing the Critical Imperatives of State Capability to Accelerate Policy Implementation, in the Current Developmental Landscape.
Prevailing State Capacity Challenges as Articulated in the NDP: 

• Unevenness in capacity, which leads to uneven performance in local, provincial and national government. Tensions in the political-administrative interface, instability of the administrative leadership and skills deficits, the erosion of accountability and authority, poor organisational design and low staff morale.
• The retrogressive impact of deficient state capacity in advancing of South Africa’s Developmental agenda  

Hon. SE Lucas, MP
Deputy Chairperson: National Council of Provinces

09h10-09h30

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
• Establishing Social Compacts to Strengthen and Rebuild State Capacity, for Accelerated Policy Implementation

Hon AN Masondo, MP
Chairperson: National Council of Provinces

09h30-10h00

“Unlocking Capacity to Advance South Africa’s Developmental Agenda”

• Major capacity related blockages (Provincial and Local Government), as identified through the Public Service Monitoring and Support Programme
• Systemic, Institutional and Bureaucratic Weaknesses, which impede the implementation of strategic policies and programmes
• Strategic Interventions in place to unlock and accelerate the implementation of strategic policies and programmes
• Capacity Building Programmes: The format and impact of such programmes

Hon. M Gungubele, MP
Minister in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa

10h00-10h30

“State Capability and Economic Recovery and Reconstruction”

• Delineating the Required Capacity to successfully Implement the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan across the three spheres
• Building Capacity to Implement the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan
• Strengthening State Capability, to accelerate economic transformation, inclusive growth and competitiveness.

Hon. N Gina, MP
Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition

10h30-11h00

“Developmental States: The Case of South Africa.” 

• Characterising Developmental States, the case of South Africa
• Characterising South Africa’s State Institutions, Processes and Management (Strengths and Weaknesses)
• Assessing Organizational and Technical Capacity
• Unpacking the State Structure Nexus
• The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on State Capacity
• Strategic Interventions to (re)build State Capacity 

Dr. K Pooe
Senior Lecturer (Political Science and Governance) Wits School of Governance

11h00-11h30

“Synthesis evaluation of State Capacity-Focus on DGs & HoDs”

• Challenges in building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Proposed interventions to Manage Prevailing State Capability Challenges
• Outline key principles and values that must underpin a capable, ethical developmental state and practical interventions to inculcate such values
• Enhancing State Capability through targeted Oversight and Accountability Mechanisms (the role of Parliament)

Prof. N Bohler-Muller
Head of Department: Developmental, Capable and Ethical State, Human Science Research Council 

11h30-12h00

“Building state capacities and dynamic capabilities to drive social and economic development: The case of South Africa” 

• state capacity beyond merely fixing administrative weaknesses within the state or fixing market failures.
• Public sector effectiveness in South Africa, looking at how challenges and opportunities bolster state capacities for governance effectiveness.
• Building capacities in SOEs and exploring the transformative potential of these entities.
• Delineating what institutional quality for state capacity should look like in the South African context.
• Building institutional capacities at the local government level.
• Institutional capacities in the context of the Development District Model

Prof. M Qobo
Head of the Wits School of Governance, University of the Witswatersrand

12h00-12h30

Interactive Discussion

All

12h30-13h00

“Strengthening the Interface between State Capability and the District Development Model”

• Local Government as the battle ground for advancing South Africa’s transformation agenda in the current developmental context
• Building Capability at Local Government Level through the effective institutionalization of the District Development Model
• Tangible capacity building programmes targeted at Metros, Districts and Localities
• Measuring the impact of capacity building programmes at local government level

Hon. Dr. NC Dlamini-Zuma, MP
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

13h00-13h30

“Strengthening State Capacity to advance South Africa’s Developmental Agenda at Provincial and Local Government Level”

• Leadership pathologies as an impediment for the required capacity
• Defining and addressing Impediments linked to personalism and policy uncertainty

Dr. M Mohale
Director: Special Projects, Office of the Vice Chancellor
Durban University of Technology

13h30-14h00

“Building a capable state through proper human resource management”  

• The Politics and Administration Dichotomy
• Skills Deficit
• Lack of Professionalization of the Public Service and Local Government
• Organizational Design
• Intergovernmental Relations
• Strengthening Accountability of Public Servants and Responsibility of Public Servants
• the Imperatives of Building State Capability through Developmental Local Government in South Africa.

Dr. X Ngumbela  
School of Public Management, Governance & Public Policy:
College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg

14h00-14h30

“Institutional Quality and Economic Performance in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region: A Dynamic Panel Analysis”

• Economic growth in developing economies
• The significance of institutional quality for economic prosperity
• Definition and types of institutions
• Operationalising institutional quality in the context of the SADC region.

Ms. K Malindini
Lecturer: Wits School of Governance, University of the Witswatersrand

14h30-14h55

Interactive Discussion / Questions / Inputs

ALL

14h55-15h00

Closing Remarks

Hon. SE Lucas, MP 
Deputy Chairperson: National Council of Provinces