Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) Maropene Ramokgopa has clarified that legislative reforms and implementation of legislation are not the mandate and function of her department, noting that her department welcomes an opportunity to engage with Parliament on its mandate and legislative function, as the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) targets it for alleged inaction.

The MKP criticised the DPME for apparent failure to ensure that the President and Executive deliver on constitutional and developmental obligations, adding that it allegedly failed to act as a safeguard against negligence and poor governance.

MKP national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said his party will table a motion in the National Assembly to summon Ramokgopa to account, and to review the department's performance framework, including its ability to track compliance with Constitutional Court orders.

“The DPME's silence over the last three years, despite a Constitutional Court deadline, multiple missed milestones and warnings from senior government officials, exposes it as a department adrift, without focus or consequence management. This was no administrative oversight. It is a failure of political will and institutional purpose,” highlighted the MKP in a statement.

Ramokgopa said the MKP’s statement showed that there was a need for further engagement to outline the role of the DPME in the governance ecosystem.

She explained that the MKP's statement incorrectly apportions blame on the DPME for the perceived collapse in executive oversight and monitoring, and implementation of legislative reforms, when its actual mandate is to coordinate and facilitate the integration of planning, monitoring, and evaluation in government for improved developmental outcomes as envisaged in the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the African Union's Agenda 2063.

She further stated that as part of its mandate, the department coordinated the development of the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2024-2029, which is the five-year plan guiding the work of the seventh administration of the South African government.

She said to ensure alignment with the MTDP, the department assessed national departments and provincial five-year strategic plans and annual performance plans prior to their tabling in Parliament.

“The MKP has criticised the DPME on legislative reforms and implementation of legislation which are not the mandate and function of the department. We welcome an opportunity to engage with Parliament on the mandate and legislative function of the department, as implied in the MKP statement," Ramokgopa said.