Development Works Logo

Spotlight On: SAMEA Conference

Above: Research Co-ordinator, Susannah Clarke, at the Creative Consulting & Development Works Stand at the SAMEA conference.

Creative Consulting and Development Works recently attended and presented a paper at the 3rd Biennial South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA) Conference, held in Johannesburg. The five-day conference attracted over 350 delegates. The Public Service Commission, Auditor General and Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy had a strong presence as exhibitors alongside Creative Consulting and Development Works and other research consultancies. 

 

The conference was opened by the Chairperson of the Public Service Commission of South Africa, Ben Mthembu, who highlighted the role of management and the role of parliament to hold government accountable in his opening address. “Although we acknowledge a lack of capacity in government as being a problem, we still believe that we have raised vigilance and have taken big steps in the right direction,” he said. “We have made great strides in getting government departments to eradicate corruption.” 

 

Susannah Clarke, Research Co-ordinator at Creative Consulting & Development Works, presented a paper on the power of monitoring and evaluation through an evaluation case study for The Networking HIV/AIDS Community of South Africa (NACOSA), conducted by Creative Consulting and Development Works. “When considering the effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation undertakings, it is important to ensure that they are autonomous, contextualized & useful,” says Clarke. “The autonomy of the evaluation refers to the nature of the relationship between the evaluator and the project. It is suggested that monitoring and evaluation be conducted by external bodies to discourage disruptive bias, while utilising participatory approaches to ensure holistic viewpoints. Contextualisation of the evaluation answers the question, why does this matter? Usefulness refers to the ability for the findings to be effectively implemented and incorporated into common practice.”

 

SAMEA Chairperson, Candice Morkel noted that the conference encouraged a definite shift in the evaluation community towards a more participatory, collaborative and empowerment-focused agenda to measuring social change. “The reality of our socio-economic challenges in South Africa and the African continent requires an urgency to meet communities at their point of need, and this week, evaluators have shown their commitment to ensuring that we are responsive to this ‘new awakening’ to localised , community-based development.”

 

Above: SAMEA Chair, Candice Morkel, introduces the panellists at the first plenary panel session entitled The Effectiveness of Oversight Institutions in Bringing about Good Governance in South Africa: An African Perspective.

 

Above: Deputy Director-General, Dr Indran Naidoo, Monitoring and Evaluation Office of the Public Service Commission presents on behalf of the PSC during the Plenary Panel session entitled The Effectiveness of Oversight Institutions in Bringing about Good Governance in South Africa: An African Perspective. Dr Naidoo co-presented with Dr Sean Phillips, Director-General, Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Office of the Presidency, Mr Freeman Nomvalo, Accountant General of South Africa, National Treasury and Mr Imraan Vanker, Corporate Executive, Auditor General of South Africa.

 

Above: The entrance to the SAMEA Conference.

 

Above: The Public Service Commission of South Africa had a professional presence in the frontline as headline sponsors of the SAMEA Conference. The Public Service Commission is an independent and impartial body created by the Constitution in 1996 to enhance excellence in governance within the public service. Visit www.psc.gov.za for more information.
 
tagline.gif