Policy Management

This programme will be useful to learners who are elected political leaders and public sector officials involved with the service delivery activities that require the use of public assets to render services to the communities. It is also useful to South Africa's public officials and political executives, strategic executive managers and other role-players. This programme will enable learners to gain knowledge and skills in policy analysis and review as well as in the development of relevant legislation and policy affecting public administration.

COURSE OUTLINE:

Module 1: Financial management techniques

• Define and distinguish between different types of expenditure according to policy;
• Identify various role-players who are typically involved in deciding the overall levels of expenditure for sector specific policy programmes;
• Define and evaluate mechanisms and processes for deciding the overall levels of expenditure at local government level;
• Analyse challenges in terms of achieving sound financial management for sector specific policy programmes.

Module 2: Structures of public policy–making in South Africa

• Discuss various models of constitutional forms to identify the nature of the South African Constitution and the roles played by different stakeholders in public policy-making;
• Explain the role of courts in contractual law matters in relation to public policy;
• Describe the structure and workings of the public sector activities with examples;
• Describe the structure and the working of different organs of central government with reference to Parliament’s, Cabinet’s and national departments’ functions;
• Define capacity requirements for implementation of policy and legislative instruments to comply with legislation on public financial management.

Module 3: Legislation to Promote Public Sector Management

• Explain the notion of developmental government in the South African context.
• Explain the link between outputs, outcomes and measurable objectives in the context of public financial management.
• Define the principles of efficiency, economy and effectiveness in the context of public sector management.
• Define the role of good quality and timely information in terms of sound financial management.

Module 4: Analyse Factors Affecting Policy-Making

• Analyse macroeconomic principles in terms of their impact on public policy-making.
• Analyse socioeconomic factors and concepts in terms of their impact on policy choices.
• Review previous policies to determine how policies were developed and compiled.

Module 5:  Principles of Good Governance and Ethical behaviour

• Define and apply the concepts of political and managerial accountability and separation of responsibilities to the implementation of a sector specific policy programme.
• Discuss and apply the concepts of accountability, transparency, integrity and ethics to the implementation of a sector specific policy programme.
• Explain the principle of participatory governance with reference to setting new policy instruments.

COURSE OUTCOMES: 
After completing this course, you should have knowledge and a clear understanding to equip yourself with the following competencies:

• apply the implications of the Constitution, 1996, as the supreme law of the country;
• interpret the consequences of the Bill of Rights
• distinguish the role of the appointed official from the role of a minister in policy-making;
• understand and apply the 5 C protocol to policy implementation
• analyse the factors to be considered to ensure responsive governance
• use governance structures to ensure public accountability
• apply principles of good governance and ethical behaviour within a public sector setting
• Applying financial management techniques in the implementation of sector specific policy programmes.
• Explaining the structures of public policy making in the South Africa context.
• Apply legislation to promote public sector management.
• Analyse factors affecting policy-making.
• Apply principles of good governance and ethical behaviour within a public sector setting