{"id":137425,"date":"2019-05-17T10:48:53","date_gmt":"2019-05-17T08:48:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/south-africa-has-a-new-presidential-advisory-unit-will-it-improve-policy-the-conversation\/"},"modified":"2019-05-17T10:48:53","modified_gmt":"2019-05-17T08:48:53","slug":"south-africa-has-a-new-presidential-advisory-unit-will-it-improve-policy-the-conversation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/south-africa-has-a-new-presidential-advisory-unit-will-it-improve-policy-the-conversation\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa has a new presidential advisory unit. Will it improve policy? | The Conversation"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Africa has a new presidential advisory unit. Will it improve policy?<\/a>: <\/p>\n

The Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, the country's seat of government. <\/span> Shutterstock<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

South Africa\u2019s President Cyril Ramaphosa is establishing a unit in the presidency which he hopes will improve policy development and coordination. This is an important initiative designed to help him address the huge challenges facing his incoming government.<\/p>\n

There is no question that strengthening the government\u2019s policy capacity is a priority. South African cabinet ministries are often individualistic and departments tend to operate as silos. There tends to be poor alignment, let alone coordination, of policies and programmes within national government and between the spheres of government. The president has some power to impose discipline. But this power depends on being very well-informed and well-briefed by his team.<\/p>\n

The unit \u2013 called the Policy Analysis and Research Services \u2013 will be headed by Busani Ngcaweni, a seasoned mandarin in the Presidency. Ngcaweni was Chief of Staff when Ramaphosa was Deputy President. He had, remarkably, occupied this senior and sensitive post for four consecutive deputy presidents over a 10-year period. <\/p>\n

Over the decade he also managed to publish around eight books of essays by himself and other writers on serious South African topics such as AIDS. Before becoming chief of staff he also served as a policy researcher in the presidency during the Thabo Mbeki era. There is no doubt that he is a committed and able intellectual, and a skilled political manager. <\/p>\n

What is the unit intended to achieve? Can it be compared with the unit that operated during the Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe presidencies?<\/p>\n

Priorities<\/h2>\n

The unit\u2019s priority areas will be \u201cthe economy, infrastructure planning and development, agricultural development and government service delivery\u201d. It will also lead on the National Health Insurance initiative which is designed to provide health care to all South Africans. <\/p>\n

Ngcaweni is quoted as saying that the unit\u2019s mandate will be: <\/p>\n