The Eastern Cape Provincial Government (ECPG) entered into a formal collaborative partnership with the National Business Initiative (NBI) and business, with the aim of enhancing the service delivery in the Province, in support of the Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP). This was to be achieved by providing technical support and professional assistance, where appropriate and requested, to particular projects agreed to by the partnership Steering Committee.
The partnership started in 2006/07 financial year with an agreement that the ECPG would make funding available and that the NBI would match, on a 1:2 ratio, such funding through tax deductible donations from its member companies. The ECPG made an annual budget available of R2,1m that was transferred to the NBI and managed by the Project Office.
The business case for the ECPG partnership was and is still based on the recognition that business can only succeed where society thrives. Business is therefore offered an opportunity to shape the type of society that they will operate and do business in.
|
The original partnership agreement was based on the NBI providing mentors/coaches, with years of similar experiences in business, and matching them carefully with volunteer protégés in the ECPG. The initiative created a public-private interface enabling business to assist the ECPG to enhance its capacity for service delivery on a sustainable basis. The NBI also facilitates professional inputs for specific projects. The partnership agreement continues to be managed at two levels namely Collaboration Committee and Steering Committee. |
The Collaboration Committee consists of the political leaders of the Province and chaired by the Premier, and the leaders of NBI members who support the partnership. The second level is at the Steering Committee which is chaired by the Director General of the Province and consists of Heads of Departments and NBI members. These governance structures managed the partnerships and approved the respective budget and project to be embarked upon during a financial year. A Business Forum Executive consisting of 12 elected Eastern Cape NBI members is responsible for the evaluation of the partnership and offers strategic support and input where appropriate. A Business Forum has now been formed consisting of all the NBI members who are supporters of the partnership. This forum meets three times per year to receive report backs on the impact of the programme and have the opportunity to provide input to the strategic objectives of the partnership.
COACHING AND MENTORING PROGRAMMES
Enhanced capacity of the Senior Management
The support offered through this programme has thus far enhanced the capacity of the 70 senior civil servants by focussing on issues of:
- Management (time-management and communication);
- Leadership (decision-making, delegation and empowerment ); and
- Project management (planning, costing, monitoring and evaluation).
Improved functionality of Thusong Centres
The support offered through this programme to the multi-service provincial government centres has also created a vehicle for National, Provincial and Local government to work together in their collective service delivery to the rural communities. The capacity building of the Thusong Centre managers through coaching and mentoring achieved:
- Better understanding of roles and responsibilities of the centres and centre managers;
- Improved communication with stakeholders .communities; and
- Funding and technical support form National, Provincial and Local Government.
Improved functionality of the Frontier Hospital
This project improved the functionality of a health institution by enhancing the capacity of senior and middle managers at the hospital. Thirty one protégés from clinical departments, nursing management and hospital administration staff participated. As the project evolved over 15 months group coaching focused on “improving the patient flow”. An impact assessment, conducted by an independent consultant, revealed remarkable results with very positive feedback from patients.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Auditor General Report Analysis
A high level analysis of the Auditor General’s Reports and Management letters was conducted three years ago to highlight the recurring and systematic issues in the management of the provincial finances. A comprehensive analysis of successive years has assisted the ECPA in designing appropriate strategies to improve on the performance of government with regards to its finances. The number of unqualified audit opinions has increased from three to ten over the past four years.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Human Resources (HR) Turn-around – Department of Health
Technical support and coaching and mentoring are being offered in this project with the aim of reducing the recurring HR issues reflected in the Audit Reports of the Department of Health. The HR Turn-around plan of the Department forms the basis of the implementation plan.
Protégés reflect on this journey and share their combined experiences about the remarkable impact that the NBI coaching and mentoring programme has made to improve the functionality of a hospital in the Eastern Cape.
Education Development Trust – Department of Education
The management of donor funding for greater impact in education development projects is the objective of this intervention. Business and the Eastern Cape government have started collaborating on this issue in an effort to ensure delivery of whole school development in the Province.
Infra-structure provisioning – Department of Roads & Public Works
Technical support is offered to the Department of Roads and Public Works in an effort to re-engineer the business processes for infra-structure provisioning. A protégé highlights the benefits.
The business case for the ECPA partnership is based on the recognition that business can only succeed where society thrives. Business is granted an opportunity through this partnership to shape the type of society that they will operate and do business in. more about the Eastern Cape Business Partnership: Strategy and Progress 2010/11.Learn (.pdf) (562KB)