Public sector inefficiencies: Are we addressing the root causes?

Figures & data

Table 1. Summary of findings on themes.

No.	Themes	Average no. years findings recurred	Recurring percentages
1	Ethics	5.33	14.41%
2	Resource Optimisation	7.00	18.93%
3	Service Delivery	3.67	9.90%
4	Compliance	6.00	16.22%
5	Transparency and Accountability	6.33	17.11%
6	Expenditure Management	8.66	23.43%

Table A1. 18 outcomes over a period 9-year period.

THEMES AND FINDINGS	2013	2012	2011	2010		2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	No. of years finding recurred over the 9-year period	Recurring % compared to total no. of recurrences
THEME 1: Ethics												14.41%
1. Weak investigation capacity to deal with cases of financial misconduct			✓	✓		✓		✓		✓	5	4.50%
2. Senior managers not disclosing their financial interests	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓		8	7.21%
3. Inadequate implementation of ethics infrastructure				✓			✓		✓		3	2.70%
THEME 2: Resource Optimisation												18.93%
4. Resources not optimally used	✓	✓	✓	✓			✓			✓	6	5.41%
5. Unauthorised, irregular and unauthorised expenditure	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓			7	6.31%
6. Inadequate management of poor performance	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓		8	7.21%
THEME 3: Service Delivery												9.90%
7. Inadequate implementation of poverty alleviation programmes						✓	✓		✓	✓	4	3.60%
8. Dispersed and fragmented public service								✓	✓	✓	3	2.70%
9. Performance-related inefficiencies	✓	✓	✓	✓							4	3.60%
THEME 4: Compliance												16.22%
10. Non-compliance with Promotion of Administrative Justice Act			✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	7	6.31%
11. Women and people with disabilities not well represented in the public sector			✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	7	6.31%
12. Non-compliance with financial regulation	✓	✓	✓	✓							4	3.60%
THEME 5: Transparency and Accountability												17.11%
13. Qualified audit opinions	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	9	8.11%
14. Annual reports not clear or easily understandable to the public			✓	✓				✓	✓	✓	5	4.50%
15. Challenges accessing government information			✓	✓		✓	✓			✓	5	4.50%
THEME 6: Expenditure Management												23.43%
16. Uncompetitive or unfair procurement processes	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	9	8.11%
17. Contract management inadequacies	✓	✓	✓	✓				✓	✓	✓	8	7.21%
18. Internal control deficiencies in expenditure management	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	9	8.11%