Appropriations Select Committee: Eastern Cape Oversight Report; First Quarter Conditional Grants Spending Patterns on Mass Sport and Recreation Participation Programme Grant; First Quarter Conditional Grants Spending Patterns on National School Nutrition

Meeting report

Report on oversight visit to Eastern Cape Municipalities
The Chairperson tabled the report for consideration and requested Members to give their input. At the same time, he noted that the report contained a few spelling mistakes.

Mr S Mazosiwe (ANC, Eastern Cape) proposed that the Committee make a follow up visit to the municipalities after a period of three months to check if any progress was being made on the recommendations.

The Chairperson agreed and suggested that the proposal be included in the recommendations.

Mr S Montshitsi (ANC, Gauteng) proposed that a recommendation be made to the Public Protector to check the books of all municipalities visited who would then make a recommendation to the Committee.

The Chairperson proposed that the report be adopted on condition that the observations made would be incorporated.

The Committee adopted the report.

Report on First Quarter Conditional Grants spending patterns on National School Nutrition Grant
The Chairperson said that it would be important to get another opinion on the actual situation concerning conditional grants spending patterns on National School Nutrition.

Mr C De Deer (ANC, Northern Cape) observed that the report had a few grammatical errors.

The Chairperson said that there was need for provinces to strengthen their legal and investigative capacities.

The Chairperson proposed the adoption of the report.

The report was duly adopted with amendments.

Report on First Quarter Conditional Grants spending patterns on Mass Sport and Recreation Participation Programme Grant
Mr B Mashile (ANC, Mpumalanga) said that there was a budget allocated for mass participation yet there were people who were in need of the fund but were not accessing it. There was therefore a need to change the way the fund was structured.

Mr Montshitsi said that there was a need to restructure the programmes to fit the needs of the people. Most people were relying on medicines even for illnesses that could be resolved by engaging in sport.

Mr Mashile observed that the government was to blame for the situation people were in. The government’s initial position was that sport was not core business and only changed the position when illnesses had begun to manifest. Previously, municipalities were funded to maintain sports fields.

The Committee adopted the report.

Other Matters
Mr De Deer informed the Committee that a new researcher had been attached to the Committee.

Mr Mncwango Simo, Researcher, Parliamentary Research Unit, said he was dedicated to ensuring that he delivered in line with the expectations of the Committee.

Mr Mashile advised the researchers to do more on the beneficiaries of the conditional grants programmes to find out their views. This would be important in informing the Committee on the impact of some of the programmes.

The minutes for the Committee were not considered as proposed on the agenda but would be instead considered at a later meeting.

The meeting was adjourned.