Tag Archives: Brand South Africa (Brand SA) and the Department of Planning

Financial constraints and vacancies at StatsSA

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

1 July 2025– The Portfolio Committee on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation expressed concerns about financial constraints and vacancies at Statistics South Africa (SA), which hampers its effectiveness as the national statistical agency. The committee said it was briefed by Stats SA, Brand South Africa (Brand SA) and the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) on their annual performance and strategic plans.

The Chairperson of the Committee, Teliswa Mgweba said regarding vacancy rates, the committee was concerned that they impact the quality and timeliness of statistical products, as well as the agency’s ability to retain skilled personnel. Mgweba further said the committee urged StatsSA to develop a strategy for retaining skilled workers and to explore partnerships to enhance data collection and statistical capabilities.

“We also questioned if StatsSA’s infrastructure is fit for purpose to meet the demands of a technologically evolving world. We noted that the ICT systems are outdated and urged the entity to invest more in modernising its systems.

“Modernising ICT infrastructure is crucial for maintaining data integrity and improving operational efficiency. Following the DPME presentation, members emphasised the need to align the Medium-Term Development Plan with departmental budgets while improving capacity to address implementation challenges,” she said.

Mgweba further said they urged BrandSA to refine its performance indicators and targets so that the impact of its nation-branding is more quantifiable and effective. She added that acknowledging this, BrandSA vowed to refine its performance framework to showcase the entity’s impact better.

“The committee also raised concerns about BrandSA’s agility, particularly in its response to changes in socio-economic contexts, emphasising the need for partnerships and collaboration to address the evolving needs of all people in South Africa.

“Members were particularly interested in how BrandSA collaborates with other government entities, such as Government Communication Information Systems (GCIS) and the Department of Trade and Industry, to improve its nation-branding efforts and the strategies in place to counter negative perceptions of South Africa around the world,” said Mgweba.

She said the committee emphasised the importance of collaboration to ensure that the department and its entities support the country’s development agenda. Mgweba said the committee’s inputs and recommendations will now be consolidated into the Budget Review and Recommendations Report that will inform the upcoming budget vote debates.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Department, Dr Themba Mhlongo, acknowledged the necessity for stronger legislative frameworks to empower the department and ensure compliance from other entities.

taungdailynews@gmail.com

Committee concerned about vacancies at Stats SA

NEWS Leave a comment

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

7June 2025– The Portfolio Committee on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation expressed concerns on Friday about financial constraints and vacancies at Statistics South Africa (SA), which hampers its effectiveness as the national statistical agency.

The Chairperson of the Committee, Teliswa Mgweba said they were briefed by Stats SA, Brand South Africa (Brand SA) and the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) on their annual performance and strategic plans. Mgweba said regarding vacancy rates, the committee was concerned that they impact the quality and timeliness of statistical products, as well as the agency’s ability to retain skilled personnel.

“The committee urged Stats SA to develop a strategy for retaining skilled workers and to explore partnerships to enhance data collection and statistical capabilities.

“The committee also questioned if Stats SA’s infrastructure is fit for purpose to meet the demands of a technologically evolving world. We have noted that the ICT systems are out-dated and urged the entity to invest more in modernising its systems.

“Modernising ICT infrastructure is crucial for maintaining data integrity and improving operational efficiency. Following the DPME presentation, members emphasised the need to align the Medium-Term Development Plan with departmental budgets while improving capacity to address implementation challenges,” she said.

Mgweba further said the committee urged Brand SA to refine its performance indicators and targets so that the impact of its nation-branding is more quantifiable and effective. She added that, acknowledging this, Brand SA vowed to refine its performance framework to showcase the entity’s impact better.

“The committee also raised concerns about Brand SA’s agility, particularly in its response to changes in socio-economic contexts, emphasising the need for partnerships and collaboration to address the evolving needs of all people in South Africa.

“Members were particularly interested in how Brand SA collaborates with other government entities, such as Government Communication Information Systems (GCIS) and the Department of Trade and Industry, to improve its nation-branding efforts and the strategies in place to counter negative perceptions of South Africa around the world,” said Mgweba.

She said the committee emphasised the importance of collaboration to ensure that the department and its entities support the country’s development agenda. Mgweba said the committee’s inputs and recommendations will now be consolidated into the Budget Review and Recommendations Report that will inform the upcoming budget vote debates.

Statistician-General Mr Risenga Maluleke told the committee that there are over 720 positions, and this affects Stats SA’s ability to perform its core functions and its capacity to meet data needs for policy-making.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Department, Dr Themba Mhlongo, acknowledged the necessity for stronger legislative frameworks to empower the department and ensure compliance from other entities.

taungdailynews@gmail.com