Prohibition of Government use of a credit or debit card: draft Regulation

The National Treasury in terms of section 78 of the Public Finance Management Act has published a draft amendment to the Treasury Regulations, and is requesting for your comments on this draft regulation:

SCHEDULE

It is intended to amend the Treasury Regulations (published under Government Notice R225 of 15 March 2005, as amended), in terms of section 76 of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No.1 of 1999), by-

(a) the substitution for regulation 13.1.5 of the following regulation:

"13.1.5 This regulation does not preclude the use of fleet management cards, petrol or garage cards or other credit facilities repayable within 30 days from the date of statement, but does not permit the implementation of a corporate credit card scheme or the use of a credit or debit card prohibited by regulation 15.10.3.3."

(b) the addition to regulation 15.10.3 of the following paragraphs:

"15.10.3.3 With effect from 15 November 2013, no institution may implement a corporate credit card scheme or conclude an agreement for the issuance of a credit or debit card for the use of the executive authority or other office-bearer in relation to, or the accounting officer or other official of, the institution.

"15.10.3.4 The accounting officer of an institution must cancel each credit or debit card issued before 15 November 2013 and valid on that date for the use of the executive authority or other office-bearer in relation to, or the accounting officer or other official of, the institution, with effect from­

(a) 15 November 2013; or

(b) if the terms for the credit card requires a longer period of notice, with effect from the earliest date in terms of those terms.";

(c) by the addition to regulation 31.1 of the following paragraphs:

"31.2.5 With effect from 15 November 2013, no public entity may implement a corporate credit card scheme or conclude an agreement for the issuance of a credit or debit card for the use of the accounting authority, a member of the accounting authority or an official of the public entity.

"31.2.6 The accounting authority of a public entity must cancel each credit card issued before 15 November 2013 and valid on that date for the use of the accounting authority, a member of the accounting authority or an official of the public entity, with effect from­

(a) 15 November 2013; or

(b) if the terms for the credit or debit card requires a longer period of notice, with effect from the earliest date in terms of those terms. It; and

(d) substitute regulation 32.1.2 for the following regulation:

"32.1.2 This regulation does not preclude the use of fleet management cards, petrol or garage cards or other credit facilities repayable within 30 days from the date of statement, but does not permit the implementation of a corporate credit card scheme or the use of a credit or debit card prohibited by regulation 31.2.5.".

Find attached document here: Treasury Regulations

Comments can be emailed to Legislation at [email protected] by no later than Monday, 11 November 2013