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Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs 27 January 2009

Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs 27 January 2009. Contents. Annual Report 2007 / 2008 Financial Statements 2007 / 2008 Preparations for the 2009 national and provincial elections Voter registration. Annual Report 2007 / 2008. Vision and Mission. Vision

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Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs 27 January 2009

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  1. Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs27 January 2009

  2. Contents • Annual Report 2007 / 2008 • Financial Statements 2007 / 2008 • Preparations for the 2009 national and provincial elections • Voter registration

  3. Annual Report 2007 / 2008

  4. 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.

  5. Legislative Mandate • In terms of Section 190 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), the Electoral Commission must a. manage elections of national, provincial and municipal legislative bodies in accordance with national legislation; b. 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. • The duties and functions of the Electoral Commission are defined in section 5 of the Electoral Commission Act, 1996. These include to a. 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;

  6. Legislative Mandate (cont.) • compile and maintain a register of parties; • undertake and promote research into electoral matters; d. develop and promote the development of electoral expertise and technology in all spheres of government; e. continuously review electoral legislation and proposed electoral legislation, and to make recommendations in connection therewith; f. promote voter education; g. declare the results of elections for national, provincial and municipal legislative bodies within seven days after such elections; and h. appoint appropriate public administrations in any sphere of government to conduct elections when necessary.

  7. Strategic Objectives 1 Entrenching the Commission as a focal point for the delivery of free and fair elections in the most efficient and cost effective manner 2 Maintaining 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 3 Informing civil society with a view to maximising citizen participation in democracy and electoral processes, and to manage elections 4 Enabling and promoting the effective participation of political parties and independent ward candidates in electoral processes

  8. Strategic Objectives (cont.) 5 Maintaining and consolidating organisational systems and infrastructure for efficient delivery of elections 6 Developing and maintaining effective business processes in respect of financial management, information and communication technology, corporate services, legal services, and communication in order to ensure the effective functioning of the Commission 7 Offering continuous structured training to officials to facilitate the effective functioning of the organisation, including a fluent and effective electoral process 8 Positioning the human capital within the organisation for effective delivery of elections and making the Commission the employer of choice

  9. Strategic objective 1: • Entrenching the Commission as a focal point for the delivery of free and fair elections in the most efficient and cost effective manner The Commission is involved in ongoing liaison with other Chapter 9 institutions. We exceeded our target for liaisons with other EMBs and observed 4 elections on the African continent alone, in line with our target.

  10. Strategic objective 1 (cont.): • Celebrations to mark 10th anniversary of establishment of IEC (in July 1997) • Liaisons with other Chapter 9 institutions ongoing • Elections conducted throughout country for more than 60 other institutions

  11. Elections for other institutions

  12. Elections for other institutions (cont.)

  13. Elections for other institutions (cont.)

  14. Elections for other institutions (cont.)

  15. Strategic objective 1 (cont.): • International Liaison • Participation in activities of International IDEA, AU, and SADC ECF • Liaisons with other Election Management Bodies • Technical assistance to the Comoros, Nigeria, and the DRC • Observer missions: Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, East Timor, Australia, the Gambia • Hosted delegations from Malaysia, Malawi, the Gambia, Nepal, Maldives, Tanzania, Sudan, Ghana

  16. Strategic objective 2: • Maintaining 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 The Commission recorded 20 291 743 registered voters on the voters’ roll, which was below the target for the period. The decrease in the number of voter registrations was mainly due to deaths. The voter registration campaigns ahead of the 2009 elections will result in more increases to the voters’ roll.

  17. Strategic objective 2 (cont): • Voters’ roll compiled in terms of the Electoral Act (1998) • Continuous voter registration at MEO offices • Targeted communication and registration • Verification against the National Population Register

  18. Registration statistics

  19. Voter registration by municipality

  20. Strategic objective 3: • Informing civil society with a view to maximising citizen participation in democracy and electoral processes, and to manage elections The Commission continued to implement its electoral democracy interventions in 550 schools throughout the country. In addition, a number of other civic education interventions have ensured that South Africa has an electorate with a high level of awareness. Participation in by-elections vary between 10.6% and 47.6%, but the percentage of spoilt ballots remain low (at 1.07%), demonstrating that we have a well-informed electorate.

  21. Civic education initiatives

  22. Civic education initiatives (cont.)

  23. Civic education initiatives (cont.)

  24. Strategic objective 3 (cont.): • Celebrations on national days: Freedom Day, Youth Day, Women’s Day and Heritage Day • Multi-stakeholder conference: 8 – 10 October 2007 • SRC colloquium: 1 – 4 April 2007 • Provincial civic education initiatives • Schools project implemented in 550 schools

  25. By-elections • 65 by-elections held • Vacancies occurred mainly due to deaths (35) and resignations (18) • Highest number of by-elections in KZN (19), Mpumalanga (12), and Western Cape (11) • Voter turnout varied between 10.6% and 47.6% • Spoilt ballots: 1.07%

  26. By-elections statistics per province

  27. Strategic objective 4: • Enabling and promoting the effective participation of political parties and independent ward candidates in electoral processes While no general elections were held in the period under review, the Commission continued to convene party liaison committees at national, provincial and municipal levels. In preparation for the 2009 elections, the number of PLC meetings will increase.

  28. Strategic objective 4 (cont.): • Party Liaison Committees: 6 at national level, 50 at provincial level; and 808 at municipal level • 146 parties registered: 101 at national level and 56 at local level • 215 PR vacancies were filled; mostly due to death (54) and resignations (77)

  29. Party Liaison Committee meetings

  30. Floor crossing • Responsible for administering floor crossing at municipal level • 249 municipal councillors crossed the floor • Highest number of floor crossings was in KwaZulu-Natal (28), Western Cape (21), and Eastern Cape (15) • 30 applicants for floor crossing were unsuccessful

  31. Strategic objective 5: • Maintaining and consolidating organisational systems and infrastructure for efficient delivery of elections The number of voting stations remained stable in the period under review. Leading up to the 2009 elections, the Commission plans to increase the number of voting stations, to increase the number of schools used as voting stations, and to decrease the number of mobile and temporary voting stations.

  32. Strategic objective 5 (cont.): • 18 873 voting stations across the country for reporting period • 65.6% of voting stations are located in schools • Of 17 859 permanent voting stations, 20.7% do not have electricity, 8.5% do not have toilets, and 12.2% do not have water • 932 temporary voting stations and 82 mobile voting stations

  33. Strategic objective 6: • Developing and maintaining effective business processes in respect of financial management, information and communication technology, corporate services, legal services, and communication in order to ensure the effective functioning of the Commission The Commission again obtained an unqualified audit report. We exceeded our target with respect to the number of public information drives. A stable and consistent IT infrastructure was maintained at national, provincial and local IEC offices.

  34. Strategic objective 6 (cont.): • 379 contracts awarded of which 253 (totalling R45.1 million) went to BEE companies • Of eProcurement auctions, 95.5% were awarded to BEE companies • 15 (3.96%) contracts were awarded to non-SMMEs totalling 1.76% of actual value of all contracts awarded

  35. Financial Management • Ensured that the financial management system promoted the objectives of the PFMA and Treasury Regulations • Improved financial management systems to ensure that they are integrated, fast and user friendly • Obtained an unqualified report from the Auditor General

  36. Information and communication technology

  37. Information and communication technology (cont.) • Stable and consistent infrastructure at national office, nine provincial offices and 237 municipal offices • Updating standard policies and procedures • Replaced financial applications with SAP • Procuring 30 000 new PBSU units (zip-zips)

  38. Corporate and legal services • 7 accidents involving IEC vehicles • 4 incidents of burglary or theft occurred at IEC sites • More than 150 SLAs were concluded with various service providers

  39. Communication • Campaigns at selected audiences such as the youth • Radio adverts in all 11 languages • Print adverts • Publications: 3 million general registration pamphlets and 3 million pamphlets on registration for use in schools were printed • Go Green campaign • “Take a Girl Child to Work” day

  40. Strategic objective 7: • Offering continuous structured training to officials to facilitate the effective functioning of the organisation, including a fluent and effective electoral process The Commission continued to ensure that electoral staff were recruited and adequately trained for all election events, such as by-elections and elections for other organisations. In addition, 98 training and development interventions in the form of bursaries for further study, short courses, etc. were provided for permanent staff of the Commission to ensure that they attain the necessary skills and knowledge.

  41. Strategic objective 7 (cont.): • 1 620 election officials trained • National Training Workshops (May and October 2007) compiled a comprehensive training blueprint and training manuals • International IDEA hosted BRIDGE courses in collaboration with IEC in May and November 2007, and March 2008

  42. Strategic objective 8: • Positioning the human capital within the organisation for effective delivery of elections and making the Commission the employer of choice The Commission continued to fill vacancies with the aim of ensuring that the organisation would be at full strength for the 2009 elections. 75.9% of posts were filled in the period under review.

  43. Strategic objective 8 (cont.): • Total staff provision of 805 posts • 75.9% of posts were filled • New Employment Equity Plan adopted in March 2008 • IEC promotes HIV and AIDS awareness in the workplace

  44. Employment equity status

  45. Employment equity status (cont.)

  46. Labour relations • Collective agreement entered into with NEHAWU • Disciplinary action taken against 16 employees for alleged offences relating to financial misconduct, misconduct and fraud • Disciplinary action resulted in one final written warning and 12 dismissals • Fraudulent matters were reported to SAPS and criminal charges were instituted • 6 cases of alleged unfair dismissal were referred to the CCMA of which all were awarded in favour of the IEC

  47. Financial Statements 2007 / 2008

  48. Preparation of financial statements • The Annual financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Statements of Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP) with the prescribed Standards of GRAP which replace the equivalent Standards of GAAP. • Recognition and measurement principles in GAAP and GRAP do not result in material differences, it is only the terminology that changed. • Financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis.

  49. Funds received and spent • The Commission received R485 250 million from the Department of Home Affairs; • The Commission recognised an amount of R1.3m as income received from the Department of Foreign Affairs for foreign assistance from the R10.671 million recognised as a liability in 2007 financial year, leaving the reported liability as R9.363 million in 2008 financial year. • Sundry income of R27,848 million, consisting largely of interest earned, was generated bringing the total income to R514,406 million; • All the funds have been accounted for and disclosed in the financial statements.

  50. Actual Expenditure vs Budget Summary : Economic Classification Report for the year ended 31 March 2008

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