Premier

(1)(a) The War Room was devised to tackle complex burning issues negatively affecting growth in key parts of our economy. The methodology used within the War Room is Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA), which is a cyclical step-by-step process through which problems are identified, deconstructed, and analysed for possible solutions, which are then tested, adapted and further iterated upon, on an ongoing basis. The work therefore is toward continuous improvement. Their work is also not about “silver bullets”, but about tackling those inhibitors – big and small – against which increments of progress may best be achieved. 

The War Room, in its initial short pilot phase, was made up of teams from the Province, City and private sector, who were focused on unblocking growth inhibitors in the construction and property industry, informal light manufacturing sector, the Atlantis manufacturing hub, in tech and BPO, and in commuter mobility.

A sample of just some of the successes of the fixed capital group, part way through the pilot, are listed in point 1b. 

Having taken the learnings from the pilot phase, we have mandated three teams, made up once again predominantly of officials from within the government, to work on the below problem statements. This work commenced late last year and is ongoing:

•    Commuter Mobility: Bus operations and their passengers [are unsafe as they] have been subjected to increased attacks over the last few years
•    Fixed Capital and Property Development: Job losses and declining economic activity in the construction and property development industry in the Cape Town metropole
•    Safety: People arrested multiple times for violent crimes are not convicted and not kept behind bars

(b) Please find attached a graphic (Annexure A) which lists just some of the successes of the Fixed Capital and Property Development war room team of officials, which were achieved just part way through the initial pilot phase. Work by these dedicated officials has continued since then. 

To date the War Room has successfully engaged with 355 stakeholders across all sectors. 

 In respect of the new problem statements listed above, which are the first problem statements of the war room since it has been fully embedded, the teams have completed the problem construction and deconstruction phase of this work. They have also conducted the analysis which supports them in identifying their potential change spaces – areas where they can now test ideas. Every team has identified the data that they require to inform their work, as well as a number of stakeholders with whom they will engage around their problem statement. These engagements have commenced.

(1)(c) The above mentioned three problem statements of the war room are currently being worked on.

(d) The methodology used in the war room – PDIA - means that issues within the problem statement areas are being addressed and resolved on an ongoing basis. The War Room initiative has been budgeted for in the current financial year and the work of the teams is continuing. 

(2)    (a) The War Room will continue to operate in the 2021/2022 financial year. 
 
The Department of the Premier will lead the coordination and host the PDIA initiative with the objective of mainstreaming the methodology within government as part of innovative and integrated service delivery within the Western Cape. 

Within the context of Innovation and Culture as a priority, the Western Cape Government, in collaboration with the City of Cape Town, National Government and other partners will continue to implement the PDIA methodology to address complex and transversal problems.

(b)    Not applicable.

(c)    To continue with the momentum that the team members have built in implementing the methodology in these three areas and to ensure a smooth transition of the coordination and support of the PDIA initiative into the Department of the Premier, Wesgro is supporting the Western Cape Government to manage the transition over the next 3 months and the necessary steps are being put in place to ensure that the Coordination and Support of the PDIA will be fully operationalised within the Western Cape Government by end June 2021.

(d)    & (e) To date the War Room has cost R2 068 226.00 with a breakdown below of how the funds have been spent.