Department: Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

South Africa has begun a new phase of its democratic transition. The electoral mandate of the fifth democratic government is to deepen transformation and implement the National Development Plan (NDP). It is to accelerate growth, create decent work and promote investment in a competitive economy. In giving effect to this mandate, we continue to be guided by our Constitutional commitment to “improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person”. This Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) is Government’s strategic plan for the 2014-2019 electoral term. It reflects the commitments made in the election manifesto of the governing party, including the commitment to implement the NDP. The MTSF sets out the actions Government will take and targets to be achieved. It also provides a framework for the other plans of national, provincial and local government.The MTSF highlights Government’s support for a competitive economy, creation of decent work opportunities and encouragement of investment. This is the first MTSF to follow the adoption of the NDP in September 2012. The introduction of a long-term plan brings greater coherence and continuity to the planning system and means that the MTSF now becomes a five year building block towards the achievement of the vision and goals of the country’s long-term plan. 

This is an update of the revised departmental strategic plan presented to Parliament in 2012. The departmental strategic objectives have been amended to take into account the added mandate of the planning function. At implementation level, the accompanying Annual Performance Plan (APP) provides the details. The Annual Performance Plan has been adjusted to provide more focus on outcomes and outputs and less on activities. The targets and indicators have been rationalised toimprove the quality of reporting.The new mandate of the department has resulted in changes to the organisational structure of the department and to its programme and budget structures. The adjustments were also required to cater for new programmes including OperationPhakisa, Socio Economic Impact Assessment System, and the Youth policy function.