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PROFILE SUMMARY
Juan leads AFReC's public finance training and consulting projects for clients in the National Parliament, Provincial Legislatures, and National and Provincial Departments. His consulting projects involved strategic planning and policy advice on intergovernmental fiscal relations to Parliamentary Committees, costing of policies for National Departments, and business modelling for Provincial Departments. Juan regularly facilitates on fiscal oversight courses for National Parliament and Provincial Legislatures, covering topics such as budget analysis and technical oversight over strategic plans, annual plans, and legislated reports.
Juan holds qualifications in occupation-directed education, training and development practice and is a qualified and registered Assessor and Moderator. He regularly facilitates on AFReC's acclaimed Performance Budgeting and Financial Management (PBFM) and accredited Municipal Budgeting and Financial Management (MBFM) Programme courses. His exposure to training and consulting to both the Legislative and Executive Branches provides him with a unique yet invaluable holistic appreciation of public finance.
Prior to joining AFReC, Juan worked as a risk analyst at RisCura (Pty) Ltd, an investment risk manager that consulted to South Africa's largest state and parastatal pension funds. His immediate research interest is the identification of critical success factors for better fiscal oversight by the Legislative over the Executive Branch. Juan's extra-mural activities involves French classes, Kung Fu training, mountain-biking, hunting, fine dining, and participation in international peace support training courses.
HISTORY
Programme Manager AFReC (Pty) Ltd
(2007 to date) Training & Consulting
Senior Public Sector Analyst: AFReC (Pty) Ltd
(2006)
Economist: AFReC (Pty) Ltd
(2004-2005)
Economics Tutor: Department of Economics
(2000) University of Stellenbosch
AREA/S OF EXPERTISE
- Public Finance Oversight by Parliament and Provincial Legislatures
- National and Provincial Departmental Strategic and Annual Performance Planning
- Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations and Policy Advice
LANGUAGES
- Afrikaans: Native
- English: Native
- French: Intermediate (University of Stellenbosch, enrolled at l’Alliance Francaise, Cape Town)
- Mandarin: Beginner (Beginner studies completed University of Stellenbosch)
CONSULTING PROJECTS
- Facilitation of Strategic Planning of Parliamentary Committees (2008): The Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA) approached AFReC to facilitate an internal strategic planning session of Committees of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Lesotho. Juan prepared and facilitated the committee internal strategic planning session. This project involved travel to Lesotho.
- Facilitation of session on local and national public finance legislation (2008): The Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA) approached AFReC to facilitate a session on South Africa’s national and local public finance legislation (PFMA, MFMA). The audience included Members of the Nigerian Parliament, Members of State (Provincial) Legislatures, and Supreme Auditing authorities (Auditor-Generals). Juan prepared and facilitated the session.
- Costing of cluster foster care models as per the Children’s Act of 1997 (2009): UNICEF awarded AFReC and the leading consortium partner the contract to research and cost the cluster foster care models for the government of South Africa’s National Department of Social Development (NDSD) as per the Children’s Act of 1997. Juan project managed the scoping and successful pitch of the costing methodology aspect of the project to UNICEF and NDSD. Juan project managed the research and costing methodology and conducted site visits.
- Analysis of provincial department’s annual reports for oversight committees (2008/2009): The Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP) contracted AFReC to analyse provincial departmental annual reports and present review findings to the various standing committees of WCPP. Juan project managed the scoping, liaison, scheduling and billing of the project. Juan prepared and presented to the various standing committees.
- Evaluate business models for the financing and management of buses and metered taxi call centres (2008): The Western Cape Department of Transport contracted AFReC and the leading consortium partner to evaluate business model for the financing and management of busses and metered taxi call centres, and develop recommended option for movable asset financing and management. Juan was tasked with investigating international best practice examples and case studies, as well as to provide the base data for a metered taxi call centre business model.
- Policy advice on Inter-Governmental Fiscal Relations to the Select Committee on Finance (2007): The National Parliament of South Africa’s Select Committee on Finance (housed in the National Council of Provinces - NCOP) contracted AFRC to research and advise on policy recommendations for challenges facing intergovernmental fiscal relations. Juan project managed the scoping, liaison, scheduling and billing of the project. Juan did the primary research for the draft and final reports.
- Review of local government financial frameworks (2006): AFReC was contracted by the Gauteng Provincial Government to undertake a financial management audit on the 15 municipalities in the province of Gauteng in order to determine the level of overall technical and legislative compliance with the MFMA. Juan assisted with the onsite assessments, research, analysis, and reporting of findings.
TRAINING PROJECTS
- Technical Oversight Training for Parliament and Provincial Legislatures: AFReC delivered various 3 day technical oversight courses that equipped parliamentary and legislative budget analysts and researchers with technical oversight skills. Topics presented on an interactive fashion included budget analysis, oversight over annual reports, financial statements and annual performance plans. Juan facilitated on numerous technical oversight courses in 2006 to 2008.
- Enhancing fiscal management (EFM) training programme for Kwazulu-Natal: Juan project managed this executive training programme brought to the KZN Provincial Treasury and most departments in 2005 to 2008. It entailed the roll-out of 5-day EFM courses for more than 800 public financial managers. EFM courses are based on the public expenditure management cycle, namely:
- strategic & programme planning
- performance budgeting
- in-year-monitoring & evaluation (M&E)
- annual, quarterly and monthly non-financial reporting.
Juan was a facilitator and course director on close to half of all the courses.
- Performance Budgeting and Financial management (PBFM) programme courses: AFReC’s PBFM programme consists out of validated courses for national and provincial government senior financial managers. The courses deal with various fiscal topics, namely:
- strategic and programme budget planning
- medium-term expenditure frameworks (MTEFs).
- performance budgeting
- costing of budgets
- performance management, including Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E).
These courses are based on the prevailing fiscal and legal frameworks, namely the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA, 2003) and the various regulations. As an occupation-directed education training practitioner, Juan courses directed and facilitated on numerous PBFM courses from 2004 to 2008. Juan is also responsible for quality management and enhancements of the courses.
- Municipal Budgeting and Finance Management (MBFM) programme courses: AFReC’s MBFM programme consists out of LGSETA accredited and National Treasury validated courses on local government public finance. Juan facilitated on numerous MBFM Principles of Budgeting (PoB) and Budget and Reporting Cycle (BRC) courses in 2004 to 2008.
- Development of unit standards and unit standard-based training materials: Juan project managed and participated in the development of various training materials for accredited and non-accredited and validated executive training for government financial managers. This included:
- research for and writing of notes for the MBFM programme accredited courses:
- “participate in the design and implementation of municipal supply chain management” (based on unit standard id 116353)
- “principles of budgeting” (based on unit standard id 116345)
- “budgeting and reporting cycles” (based on unit standard id 116364)
- “apply the inter-governmental fiscal relations act to municipal financial management” (based on unit standard id 116344)
- drafting of SAQA registered unit standard "apply the inter-governmental fiscal relations act to municipal financial management.” Registered in 2004.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Key research areas include intergovernmental fiscal relations and international relations focusing on China’s involvement in Africa.
PUBLICATIONS
Short Articles:
- Published in Delivery Magazine, August/October 2005: Contributor: 2005. Mastering the Municipal Finance Management Act. Applied Fiscal Research Centre (AFReC): Cape Town.
- Published in Delivery Magazine, August/October 2004: Contributor: 2004. “There is more than one solution: categorising municipalities according to capacity highlights the need to come up with a range of support measures for different municipalities.” Applied Fiscal Research Centre (AFReC): Cape Town.
Commissioned Research:
- Published: Bester J, et al. 2006 “Impact of Municipal Regulations on Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs)” in Development Policy Research Unit (DPRU) Working Paper No 06/107, May 2006. University of Cape Town: Cape Town.
Conference Papers:
- Unpublished: Bester, J. et al. 2006. Valuation of Public Assets: Are we getting it right? Applied Fiscal Research Centre (AFReC): Cape Town. Presented at the Institute of Public Finance and Auditing (IPFA) 2006 conference.
Other:
- Published by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA): Co-author: 2004. Apply the Inter-governmental Fiscal Relations Act to municipal financial management, ID 116344, Level 6, 10 Credits. Applied Fiscal Research Centre (AFReC): Cape Town
- Unpublished: Bester, J. 2002. The Political Economy of the International Intellectual Property Rights Regime: Aids and the Generic Medicine debate in South Africa. University of Stellenbosch, RSA.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
- Attended June 2008: "Specialisation Course on Child Protection, Monitoring & Rehabilitation - International Civilian Peacekeeping & Peacebuilding Training (IPT).” Focus areas: Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC); Conceptual approaches to Impact of Armed Conflict on Children; Monitoring, Protecting and Rehabilitation Children in Armed Conflict; Legal Frameworks and International Standards; Field Work Contexts; Role-players in Children in Armed Conflict. Institution: Austrian Study Centre for Peace & Conflict Resolution (ASPR), Austria.
- Attended September 2007. “General Course for Civil Monitors, Observers & Field Staff.” Focus areas: Distinguishing between different types of missions and different civil observer/monitoring roles in crisis management and humanitarian assistance. Topics: Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR); Security Sector Reform (SSR); gender and multi-cultural awareness; working with interpreters; UN cluster approach. Institution: Folke Bernadotte Academy, Swedish Foreign Ministry, Sweden.
- Attended March 2007. “Protection against Risks and Threats in Conflict Areas Course.” Focus areas: Awareness of pro-active security, preparation and planning for missions. Topics with practical exercises: coping with stress; negotiations; human rights; hostage situations; 4-wheel driving; CPR; CBRN and EIHH threats; serving abroad; security and threats assessments; procedures for radio and satellite communication; fire extinguishing; media relations; and mine risk education. Institution: Folke Bernadotte Academy, Swedish Foreign Ministry, Sweden.
- Attended March 2007. “Civil Military Relations Course.” Focus areas: Co-ordination, co-operation and relations between different actors in a mission area. Civilian-, military- and police components’ terms for relations in Peace Support Operations led by UN, NATO, etc. Topics: CIMIC; CMCoord; interpreters; humanitarian law and human rights, civilian-, military- and police differences. Institution: Swedish Armed Forces International Centre (SWEDINT), Sweden.
- Attended May 2006. “United Nations Civilian Staff Officers Course (UNCIVSOC).” Focus areas: Civil-Military-Police co-ordination during UN Missions; United Nations system and other international agencies; humanitarian law and human rights; gender, media, interpretation and cultural awareness issues at UN Missions; Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Process. Institution: Swedish Armed Forces International Centre (SWEDINT), Sweden.
- Attended November 2005. “Training for Peace (TfP): Civilian Peacekeeping & Peace-building Course (CPPC).” Focus areas: Civil-military coordination during UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding, UN mission methodologies, conflict management, negotiation and mediation. Institution: African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), Republic of South Africa.
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