Deputy Minister Seiso Joel Mohai: Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Dept Budget Vote 2025/26

Honourable Chairperson of the Session,
Honourable Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ms Maropene Ramokgopa
Honourable Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ms Teliswa Mgweba,
Honourable Members of the Portfolio Committee on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Director General of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr. Robert Nkuna and the DPME team,
Honored Guests,
Fellow countrymen and women, Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, Good morning!
Goeie More Dumelang! Molweni!

House Chairperson
The 30th of June 2025 signals the end of a period rightly designated as the Youth Month in our National Calendar. As we draw the curtain on the Youth Month and entering another milestone – the Mandela Month, grant me permission to salute the June 16 Detachment of 1976 and death defiant generation of young lions of the turbulent 80’s that gave the final thrust in our struggle for liberation. It is their supreme sacrifices that guaranteed us access into these erstwhile colonial buildings and seats in the former apartheid fortress.

It is on the back of these sacrifice that today I stand before you to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to building a capable, ethical, and developmental state that serves the needs of all South Africans. The Department of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation (DPME) is a weapon in the hands of the people to ensure government remains accountable, accessible, responsive, and effective in delivering on its promises and commitments.

Our integrated monitoring systems are a cornerstone of these efforts in line with our mantra of Batho Pele. The Frontline Monitoring and Support (FM&S) Programme, in particular, bridges the gap between government and the people, enabling us to understand the challenges faced by the citizens in accessing essential services.

Sector monitoring provides a bird’s eye view of institutional performance and progress on the implementation of the government’s priorities as espoused by the National Development Plan. Whether it is monitoring the education  sector  through  Early  Childhood  Development  Centres, functioning of Safe Schools and Special Schools, or assessing the state of readiness of clinics and hospitals for the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI), Frontline Monitoring and Support provides us with critical insights to improve service delivery. We do so driven by the collective sense of agency and urgency to end inequality, poverty and unemployment.

We are mobilizing society and government to launch a frontal assault on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, through monitoring hot-spot police stations and Thuthuzela Care Centres to ensure justice and support for victims.

Furthermore, we are keeping a close eye on Disaster Relief Measures, ensuring that citizens affected by climate related incidents receive assistance they need. Our team, in collaboration with key government departments and agencies will soon visit UMthatha in the Eastern Cape, where over 100 of our people perished due to a natural disaster. Our visit cannot be a symbolic gesture in the face of such a human tragedy. It should unblock blockages in the post disaster government and civil society interventions and ensure that affected communities receives the necessary support deserving of a people in despair.

Our efforts extend to the economy, national security, and social welfare. From monitoring industrial parks and special economic zones to assessing the performance of South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and substance abuse treatment facilities. We are working tirelessly to address the challenges that impact our citizens' lives. As part of optimising the payment of the grants, DPME is conducting a rapid evaluation of the Master Service Level Agreement (MSA) entered between SASSA and the Post Office as ceded to Postbank. Key to the objectives of the rapid evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of the MSA and the associated Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the parties in the payment of the social grants, against the initial objective, given that it has been effective since 2008 and the emerging persistent challenges.

In the past financial year, we visited amongst others, several health facilities, schools and post school, education and training facilities, Farmer Support Production Units, degraded lands set aside for rehabilitation, the Cookhouse Windfarm Trust. We challenged land reform farms such as Zebediela, labour centres, Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Independent Power Producers, (IPPs) and we continue our work with various stakeholders to address these perennial challenges.

Honourable Chairperson,

Our Department assisted the Atlantis Special Economic Zone Company (ASEZCo) to secure 3D entity status and tax incentive approvals, which made it easier to attract foreign direct investments. Since then, ASEZ has made significant progress in developing Zone 1, with R815 million invested by seven operational investors and as a result 351 jobs were created.

The SEZ has also exceeded its Small Medium-Middle Enterprises (SMME) participation targets, awarding over R25 million in contracts— accounting for 32.2% of civil works—to local enterprises. This assisted in generating 389 construction jobs and in completing key infrastructure projects including fencing, roads, and utilities. The projects visited are catalytic and require a cluster approach for optimising performance and impact.

For example, the DPME undertook a monitoring visit to the Nkowankowa Industrial Park in Limpopo, identified numerous challenges such water shortages, unstable electricity supply, high utility costs, labour compliance issues, and poor infrastructure.
The Department led the process of developing a multi-stakeholder Improvement Plan and as a result it has the Industrial Park has undergone key improvements to enhance operations and support local businesses. Companies like Peppadew invested in private water sources, Eskom built a dedicated mini substation and the Departments of Science and Technology, and Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) committed R49 million to upgrade the water pipelines, boosting capacity for business growth. Although there are still some challenges, coordinated efforts and infrastructure investments have laid a strong foundation for long-term industrial and economic development.

The monitoring of the labour centers across provinces, under the Department of Employment and Labour has indeed confirmed that strategic location of these centres facilitates access and reach for services and that Public Employment Services (PES) and Labour Activation Programmes (LAP) are critical and do facilitate opportunities for work seekers and placement.

The Department’s assessment and intervention at the Isithebe Industrial Park catalysed some of the key socio-economic developments. Major upgrades included removing asbestos, paving roads, and revitalising facilities. A key milestone was the establishment of a Digital Hub which will soon commence operations. This was achieved through the support of the Moses Kotane Institute and the KwaZulu Natal Department of Economic Development. Our team will continue to work with all stakeholders to pave the way for enhanced innovation, infrastructure, and business support within the park.

Honourable Chairperson

The Presidential Hotline remains an indispensable tool for understanding the lived experiences of our people. It is a direct line between government and citizens, enabling us to respond swiftly to their concerns and improve service delivery. We are advocating for active citizenry to ensure that promises made are promises delivered.

Honourable House Chairperson

To advance a culture of quality and excellence in the public administration, we coordinate critical platforms such as the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM) Annual Conference and the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA) Biennial Conferences, fostering collaboration and innovation in monitoring and evaluation. These initiatives, in partnership with institutions like the National School of Government (NSG) and the Public Service Commission, are vital to strengthening the capacity of our public service.

We are intentional in our collaboration with the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), working alongside the Presidency and the National Anti- Corruption Advisory Council to combat corruption and promote transparency. Initiatives like the Anti-Corruption National Dialogue demonstrate our commitment to ethical governance.

Finally, we are investing in the future of public service through partnerships with higher education institutions, such as the University of Pretoria, to bridge the gap between academia and the public sector. By promoting interdisciplinary approaches to evaluation and research, we are equipping our public servants with the skills and knowledge needed to drive meaningful change.

Honourable Chairperson,
We will not waver in our commitment to the principles outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP) and MTDP. Together, let us continue to work towards a South Africa that is capable, ethical, and developmental—a South Africa that serves its people with integrity and excellence.
We are building on the experience gained from the consensus achieved within a short space of time to agree on the MTDP, to galvanise society towards the envisioned National Dialogue. Our people must relieve the spirit amavolontiya/baithaopi before the Congress of the People in Kliptown, in 1955.

Only those who do not understand the value of the dialogue to nation building and social cohesion will undermine the significance of the National Dialogue.

South Africa belongs to all who live it! May the People Govern!
Thank you. Ke a lebo ga

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