Committee Reports on Department Budget 2007/8 & Oversight Visit to FiFa World Cup Host Cities

Meeting report

TRANSPORT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
25 June 2007
COMMITTEE REPORTS ON DEPARTMENT BUDGET 2007/8 & OVERSIGHT VISIT TO FIFA WORLD CUP HOST CITIES

Chairperson:  Mr J Cronin (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Committee Report on oversight visit to FIFA World Cup Host Cities
Committee Report on Hearings on Department of Transport Budget 2007/8 [available at Tabled Committee Reports once adopted]

SUMMARY
The Committee went through their Report on the oversight visits to eight of the nine host cities for the FIFA World Cup: Johannesburg, eThekwini, Nelson Mandela Bay, Polokwane, Rustenburg, Mbombela, Manguang and Cape Town. The Committee will visit Tshwane at a later date.  The Report contained their findings and recommendations for each of the host cities.  The cities that the Committee believed required the most assistance from both the Department of Transport and National Treasury were Polokwane, Mbombela, and Rustenberg. These cities were poorly prepared and thus had not received funding from the Department of Transport as swiftly as they would like, thereby delaying development and adding to deadline pressure. Johannesburg was praised for their well-organised and rapid planning that had placed them as the most advanced of all the host cities. Cape Town was also complimented, however, their plans were not as structured as they should be, which could end up delaying development. The Committee felt that there should be more of a linkage between the Department of Transport and National Treasury, as both departments were required to approve funding for plans.

After several amendments the Report was accepted.

The Committee Report on the Hearings on the Department of Transport Budget 2007/8 was accepted with a few amendments.