Evaluation capacity assessment of the transport sector in South Africa: An innovative approach

Background: This article was based on the study on the assessment of evaluation capacity in the transport sector in South Africa. The purpose of the study was to test the Six Sphere Framework (SSF), which is an innovative evaluation capacity diagnostic tool developed by the Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results (CLEAR-AA) based in South Africa. Objectives: The article presents the findings emanating from the study and new knowledge on how evaluation capacity assessments can be conducted in the transport sector in South Africa. Method: A variety of methods including a survey, semi-structured interviews, document review and focus group discussions were used to collect data from primary and secondary sources. In all the cases, research questions were structured around the six components of the framework. Similarly, the presentation of the findings was arranged in themes that mirror these components. Results: The article locates the SSF within the current evaluation capacity development literature and argues that existing evaluation capacity assessment tools are inadequate to understand pertinent issues affecting the use of evidence in the transport sector in South Africa. Conclusion: In this regard, the framework is recommended as an innovative tool to assist evaluation practitioners and scholars to better understand evaluation capacity constraints within a broader context that involves logistical, technical, contextual, social and political dimensions. It also offers an important insight on how these components interfaced to shape the organisational value system that impacts the use of evidence in the transport sector in South Africa