The SANDF as an organisation post 1994 had to align itself to the Constitution of the RSA of 1996 and adapt itself to the principles of this supreme law of the country. The SANDF had to adopt and abide by prescripts such as the "Batho Pele Prescripts", the Public Service Act, Act 103 of 1994 and its 2001 Regulations and the PFMA Act 1 of 1999 and its Regulations, as well as the many other prescripts as stated above in the section on legal frameworks. In June 2000, the Department of Defence (DOD) promulgated a Policy on the Continuous Performance Improvement Programme. The policy was promulgated as a way of acknowledging the fact that the organisation is aware of the need for transformation and to improve the organisational system’s performance and service delivery.
The Secretary of Defence (Sec Def), being the Accounting Officer according to the PFMA, declared Total Quality Management (TQM) as the official management philosophy and system for the DOD’s performance management in the DOD’s Policy on the Continuous Performance Improvement Programme (2000: 4). Additional to the TQM, the Excellence Model and the Balanced Scorecard were adopted by the Plenary Defence Staff Council (PDSC) as models through which performance will be measured. The South African Excellence Foundation (SAEF) Model Award system was introduced to reward best performers in the SAMHS.
The Chiefs of Divisions and Services were tasked to ensure that they deploy performance improvement initiatives within their units and entities. It was decided that senior managers, as part of their Performance Agreement, would ensure that there is accounting for performance improvement objectives. Chapter 7 of the Policy on the Continuous Performance Improvement Programme is made up of two sections,
namely the suggestion system and the DOD Organisational Performance and Continuous Improvement Competition and Quality Awards.
The suggestion system was introduced and used for members of the DOD with the aim of encouraging innovative thinking, in the form of suggestions that would enhance performance and save the organisation money. The suggestions made are evaluated, and the best suggestion is awarded a monetary prize. In the SAMHS, the Organisational Performance and Continuous Improvement Competition are annually held and winners are determined using the IG SAMHS internal audit assessment based on the SAEF Model criteria.
In October 2010, the Secretary for Defence (Sec Def) promulgated the Department of Defence Instruction (DODI): Policy and Planning/00096/2005 (DODI /POL&PLAN/00096/2005), Policy, Process and Procedures for Business Management in the Department of Defence with the aim of managing the business process of the DOD in an effective and efficient manner at all levels of the organisation. In the DODI /POL&PLAN/00096/2005, (2010: 3), the Sec Def as the Accounting Officer and the CSANDF as the Executive Authority were described as responsible to "initiate, direct or regulate actions or conduct by officials of the DOD and members of the SANDF to enforce accountability in respect of business processes in the DOD".
The auditable outcomes to be implemented and attained by the DODI /POL&PLAN/00096/2005, (2010: 3-4) that was deemed relevant to the study topic by the researcher and supporting other performance legislative frameworks were stated as follows:
"Business processes and information systems should be vertically and horizontally aligned with relevant legislation and other higher order business processes and horizontally with the existing level 1 DOD strategy.
Business processes to be aligned in a manner that will ensure the promotion of effective, efficient and economical utilisation of DOD resources.
Policy-based business processes that encompass measurable standards with performance-based outcomes to determine its success.
The use of taxonomies and naming conventions.
Business process to include internal control measures and accountability that can identify compliance/non-compliance.
Risk analysis.
Planning regarding business processes programming and implementation.
The effect of business processes".
The DOD adopted the Balanced Scorecard as a measure through which it will manage its performance at both organisational and individual level. A Balanced Scorecard strategy map was drawn to translate DOD objectives.
In the DOD Strategic Plan for Financial (FY) 2010/11 until FY 2012/13, the key levers for measuring its internal, external and collective effectiveness using the DOD Balanced Scorecard (BSC) Strategy Map were stated as output deliverables, internal processes, resources management and building for the future. The stated levers were described as providing the framework for the annual performance agreement drawn up between the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, the Accounting Officer for the DOD and the Chief of the SANDF. The SANDF’s Arms of Services have also drawn up their unique Balanced Scorecard, but not all have started with the implementation of this adopted strategy map.
The SA Army is the Arm of Service that has made strides in implementing the Balanced Scorecard. The SAMHS is using the SAEM Model to manage and measure its performance at organisational level. Figure 3.1 is a schematic representation of the DOD Balanced Scorecard as depicted in the DOD Strategic Plan for FY 2010/11 to 2012/13 (2010: 18)
Figure 3.1: The DOD Balanced Scorecard
Source: DOD Strategic Plan for FY 2010/11 to 2012/13 (2010: 18)
The SA Army adopted the Balanced Scorecard as a model for its performance, and this model was made part of the training module in this Arm of Service.
In April 2011, a human resources instruction on performance management and development system in the DOD for DOD officials other than senior management was introduced, namely Department of Defence Instruction (DODI): Policy and Planning/00096/2005 (DODI /POL&PLAN/00096/2005), Policy, Process and Procedures for Business Management in the Department of Defence. The aim of this instruction is to provide the principles, prescripts, instruments and processes applicable to the performance management and development of DOD officials’ with effect from 1 April 2011.
The Instruction outlines and explains aspects important for performance management in the DOD, like the assessment period and cycle; it also clearly stipulates role players in performance management and their responsibilities. This instruction was fairly new at the time of the study, and not much information was available on its results. Road shows conducted in the DOD to introduce and promote this new system to different stakeholders. This system is mainly focused on performance management on the micro level (individual employee). The SAEF Model, as the macro-level performance measure, is discussed below in detail, as the adopted means to manage and measure performance in the SAMHS.
According to the researcher, although the SANDF has adopted certain models to be used as a way to manage and measure performance, not all strategic employees have been trained in these adopted models. There are Officers in Command of units in the SAMHS who have not been trained in the SAEF Model, although performance management internal audits are based on this model.