1 1 strategic plan of the electoral commission – a presentation to the portfolio committee on home...

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Strategic Plan of the Electoral Commission – A Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on

Home Affairs

Tuesday, 5 June 2007

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Aims of the Commission

• In terms of Section 190 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), the Electoral Commission must – manage elections of national, provincial and municipal

legislative bodies in accordance with national legislation;

– ensure that those elections are free and fair; and – declare the results of those elections within a period

that must be prescribed by national legislation and that is as short as reasonably possible.

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Duties and Functions of the Commission (Cont)

• The duties and functions of the Electoral Commission are defined in section 5 of the Electoral Commission Act, 1996. These include –

– compile and maintain a voters' roll by means of a system of registering eligible voters by utilising data available from government sources and information furnished by voters;

– compile and maintain a register of parties;– undertake and promote research into electoral matters;– develop and promote the development of electoral expertise and

technology in all spheres of government;– continuously review electoral legislation and proposed electoral

legislation, and to make recommendations in connection therewith;– promote voter education;– declare the results of elections for national, provincial and municipal

legislative bodies within seven days after such elections;– appoint appropriate public administrations in any sphere of government to

conduct elections when necessary.

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Vision and Mission

• Vision – To strengthen constitutional democracy through the delivery of

free and fair elections in which every voter is able to record his or her informed choice.

• Mission– The Electoral Commission is a permanent body created by the

Constitution to promote and safeguard democracy in South Africa. Although publicly funded and accountable to parliament, the Commission is independent of the government. Its immediate task is the impartial management of free and fair elections at all levels of government.

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General Strategic Objectives

• To entrench the Commission as a focal point for the delivery of free and fair elections in the most efficient and cost effective manner;

• To maintain an optimal network of voting districts and voting stations for elections to ensure reasonable access by voters and to maintain an accurate and up-to-date national common voters roll;

• To inform civil society with a view to maximising citizen participation in democracy and electoral processes, and to manage elections;

• To enable and promote the effective participation of political parties and independent ward candidates in electoral processes;

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General Strategic Objectives (Cont)

• To maintain and consolidate organisational systems and infrastructure for efficient delivery of elections;

• To develop and maintain effective business processes in respect of financial management, information and communication technology, corporate services, legal services, and communications in order to ensure the effective functioning of the Commission;

• To offer continuous structured training to officials to facilitate the effective functioning of the organisation, including a fluent and effective electoral process;

• To position the human capital within the organisation for effective delivery of elections and making the Commission the employer of choice.

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Strategic Objective 1

• To entrench the Commission as a focal point for the delivery of free and fair elections in the most efficient and cost effective manner– Entrench the Commission as a strong and independent custodian

of electoral democracy in South Africa

– Continued development and enhancement of operational policies and procedures

– Strengthen the local and international liaison capacity of the Commission

– Actively participate in government-led initiatives on the promotion of democracy

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• To maintain an optimal network of voting districts and voting stations for elections to ensure reasonable access by voters and to maintain an accurate and up-to-date national common voters roll:– Determine and implement a strategy for the maintenance of the voters’

roll, including priority geographic areas and specific sectors (e.g. youth, women, etc.).

– Determine and implement a strategy for the re-delimitation of voting districts

– Determine standards and criteria for the re-delimitation of voting districts.– Align voter registration systems to the Home affairs Identification System– Provide input into the development of address allocation.– Investigate the revision of registration methodologies that could be

implemented in the short term or in the long term

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• To inform civil society with a view to maximizing citizen participation in democracy and electoral processes, and to manage elections– Sub-objective 3.1: To inform and educate civil society

on democracy and electoral processes

– Sub-objective 3.2: To undertake and promote research into electoral matters

– Sub-objective 3.3: To manage the delivery of elections

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Sub-objective 3.1

• To inform and educate civil society on democracy and electoral processes:

– Enhance the participation of local communities in the identification and pursuit of opportunities to strengthen constitutional democracy and electoral processes.

– Implement Democracy Development & Education Projects as well as the appropriate teaching/learning support training for these projects

– Prepare material in support of civil society programs and projects

– Organise Democracy Development & Education projects and the appropriate interventions to support these projects

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Sub-objective 3.2

• To undertake and promote research into electoral matters – Establish a functional research unit in order to:

• Assess perceptions ands needs of national and international stakeholders regarding democracy and electoral processes.

• Assess and evaluate outcomes and impacts of Commission projects.

• Inform Commission projects through research and development (R&D)

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Sub-objective 3.3

• To manage the delivery of elections – Co-ordinate and communicate election timetables.

– Establish an election “nerve centre”.

– Maintain a common program timeline incorporating all election projects.

– Maximise co-ordination of election projects and activities.

– Promote accurate and co-ordinated management reporting.

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• To facilitate the participation of political parties and independent ward candidates in the electoral processes:

– Provide effective administration support for the party liaison structure and encourage participation in these structures by all eligible parties.

– Provide a user friendly and transparent political party registration system.

– Establish an effective system for the receipt recording and maintenance of party lists submitted for an election and for the receipt and acceptance of the nomination of candidates.

– Establish an effective system for recordings of floor crossing.– Create a strategy and forum to engage political parties on macro issues

on a broad base (beyond PLC business).– Manage, administer and allocate the Represented Political Parties Fund

within the framework of the Public Funding of Represented Political Parties Act (Act 103 of 1997) and Regulations 1998.

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• To maintain and consolidate organisational systems and infrastructure for efficient delivery of elections– Sub-objective 5.1: To ensure effective voting station

infrastructure provisioning;

– Sub-objective 5.2: To ensure a reliable Local Delivery Agent (MEO) at local level;

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Sub-objective 5.1

• To ensure effective voting station infrastructure provisioning; – Maintain and improve infrastructure standards for the

network of voting stations

– Ensure adequate voting station infrastructure

– Maintain and improve strategy for procurement of voting station materials

– Maintain and improve a strategy for the warehousing and distribution of voting station materials

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Sub-objective 5.2

• To ensure a reliable Local Delivery Agent (MEO) at local level – Implementing the approved model for a local delivery

structure

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• To develop and maintain effective business processes in respect of financial management, information and communication technology, corporate services, legal support, and communications in order to ensure the efficient functioning of the Commission:– Sub-objective 6.1: To render effective budgetary, management

accounting and audit services– Sub-objective 6.2: Render efficient and cost-effective ICT Services – Sub-objective 6.3: To render efficient and cost-effective corporate

services – Sub-objective 6.4: To enhance the image of the Commission through

effective internal and external communication – Sub-objective 6.5: To coordinate and provide legal services to the

Commission

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Sub-objective 6.1: Financial Management

• To render effective budgetary, management accounting and audit services:– Develop and manage organisational project-based budgets.

– Maintain financial reporting and internal control mechanisms

– Liaise and cooperate with the Auditor-General in respect of the External Audit

– Adhere to procurement legislation and internal policies and procedures;

– Adhere to asset management legislation and internal policies and procedures

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Sub-objective 6.2: Information Communication Technology

• Render efficient and cost-effective ICT Services – Revise and maintain ICT Policies and Procedures

– Provide and maintain required ICT Infrastructure

– Develop and maintain required business systems

– Develop and maintain secure database structures

– Perform an effective support function;

– Maintain and enhance Website & Intranet portals

– Maintain and implement risk management procedures

– Research new technologies

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Sub-objective 6.3: Corporate Services

• To render efficient and cost-effective corporate services

– Provide and maintain office accommodation and infrastructure

– Provide and maintain security services

– Provide efficient transport, travel and courier services

– Provide information management services

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Sub-objective 6.4: Communication

• To enhance the image of the Commission through effective internal and external communication – Develop and maintain a communication strategy

– Enhance the corporate and/or public image of the IEC

– Provide and maintain effective public participation systems

– Develop and/or publish appropriate communication materials in line with communication strategy

– Determine and procure appropriate promotional materials

– Manage communication campaigns

– Disseminate information internally

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Sub-objective 6.5: Legal Services

• To coordinate and provide legal services to the Commission – Attend to requests for revision of legislation and draft

proposed amendments where necessary

– Provide legal advice and opinions

– Institute and defend legal proceedings where required

– Drafting and submission of contracts

– Provision of training courses on Legislative framework

– Assist in staff disciplinary matters

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• To offer continuous structured training to officials to facilitate the effective functioning of the organisation, including a fluent and effective electoral process– Establish a Centre for Elections Learning (CLE)– Develop user manuals and support materials for

different electoral activities– Provide training support to other electoral management

bodies (EMBs) at government request– Develop unit standards

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• To position human resource capital within the organisation for effective delivery of elections and making the Electoral Commission the employer of choice:

– Maintain the organogram consistent with the strategic objectives, programmes and activities of the Commission

– Recruit and Select staff as per the organogram and employment equity (EE) requirements, as well as electoral event requirements.

– Develop and maintain an EE plan in line with legislative requirements.

– Develop and maintain supportive human resource policies in line with relevant legislation

– Manage the performance of all employees.– Develop and maintain human resource administrative processes

and information systems.

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Strategic Objective 8 (Cont)

• To position human resource capital within the organisation for effective delivery of elections and making the Electoral Commission the employer of choice:– Provide quality education, training and development for

employees in line with the relevant legislation as well as organisation requirements, policies and procedures.

– Remunerate employees in line with the Commission’s market-related remuneration and benefits strategy.

– Develop and implement a programme to assist employees with their well-being and safety

– Manage employee relations in compliance with relevant legislation, policies and procedures

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Budget Emphasis: 2007/8

• Complete the Organisation Review before August 2007 and implement recommendations flowing from the review.

• Complete a number of staff retention measures already started in 2006• Complete the establishment of the Centre for Elections Learning and

immediately start with training.• Entrench Electoral Democracy Development in the Education sector

(schools and institutions of higher learning).• Settle the issue of the local delivery agencies of the Commission• Acquire and implement SAP to replace the current ERP, whose

support will virtually be grinding to a halt.• Specify and acquire equipment to replace the zip-zip, which has been

in place for nearly ten years and currently brittle.• Train staff on new systems (primarily SAP and the new ‘zip-zip’)• Development of materials for EDDE and training of staff

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• Roll-out outreach programmes of the Commission, as espoused in the EDDE and Communication projects of the Commission (approximately 18 000 field workers as well as civil society organisations to be engaged and trained/briefed)

• Procure registration and voting materials and equipment• Recruitment and Training of registration and voting staff

(approximately 350 000 for all registration and voting activities)

• Recruitment of expansion staff at Municipal Electoral Offices as well as our National and Provincial Offices (approximately 200).

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Budget Emphasis: 2008/9 (Cont)

• Activate the logistics network in preparation for registration weekends

• Open all registration stations for two week-ends for voter registration (new registrations, changes to addresses and verification of details on the voter’s roll)

• Rollback registration materials and prepare for address capturing.

• Activate the logistics network in preparation for elections

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• Complete special votes locally and dispatch materials for overseas voting

• Activate the Commission’s conflict resolution mechanisms in preparation for elections

• Open all voting stations for voting day• Roll-back voting materials for safekeeping in terms of Sec

105 of the Electoral Act (Act 73 of 1998)• Roll-out outreach programmes of the Commission, as

espoused in the EDDE and Communication projects of the Commission (approximately 18 000 people as before)

• Procure registration and voting materials and equipment• Recruitment and Training of registration and voting staff

(approximately 350 000 people as before)

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Budget Emphasis: 2009/10 (cont)

• Recruitment of expansion staff at Municipal Electoral Offices as well as our National and Provincial Offices (approximately 200 people).

• Activate the logistics network in preparation for registration weekends

• Open all registration stations for two weeks for voter registration (new registrations, changes to addresses and verification of details on the voter’s roll)

• Rollback registration materials and prepare for address capturing.

• Activate the logistics network in preparation for the 2009 National and Provincial Elections

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Budget Breakdown

• 2007/8 Financial Year: R485 250 000– Strategic Objective 1: R 24 246 272

– Strategic Objective 2: R 8 946 922



– Strategic Objective 5: R153 608 023




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Budget Breakdown (Cont)









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Budget Breakdown (Cont)









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End of Presentation

Discussions and Questions

1 1 strategic plan of the electoral commission – a presentation to the portfolio committee on home...

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