Premier of the Eastern Cape Nosimo Balindlela is calling for proper budgeting and financial management in the provincial government so as to ensure effective service delivery and realise the aims of the provincial growth plan.

Opening the two-day executive council lekgotla in Port Alfred earlier this month, she says the provincial government departmental clusters must really work as a team as “there needs to be a synergy of purpose and service delivery” – a message she has also received from various stakeholders and to whom it needs to be sensitive.

She adds effective budgeting and financial management will ensure effective service delivery while the Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP) will be the tool to test the departmental budgets and operational plans.

“We cannot drag its feet on job creation and poverty alleviation. Examine and find solution to the stumbling blocks for effective job creation and poverty alleviation. We need to champion the objectives of the PGDP in every department,” she says.

She is also advocating a strong administration in the province and a government which will critically and frankly deliberate on the relationship between the political and the administrative heads.

“There must be mutual understanding on performance management and development system on what needed to be done by MECs and department heads.”

"This is not simply about signing performance agreements; it is about the proper management of performance, setting of targets, agreeing upon goals, monitoring, evaluation and recognition or remedial interventions where necessary," she says.

Her government is to examine and evaluate unfinished administrative projects, set up timeframes and then complete those projects. This includes ensuring that all departments are properly housed at district level and accessible by phone for service delivery.

The premier stresses the need to properly prioritise the provincial government's communication strategies.

"The positive image of our government, and indeed of the whole province, depends on us effectively communicating our achievements and our successes. We need to ponder upon interventions that will dispel the negative perceptions of the Eastern Cape as a place of crime, corruption, laziness and inefficiency."

There is also a need to mainstream issues of gender, youth and the disabled and building of a strong and accountable local government as a primary site of service delivery.