Unauthorised & Oversight Reports: adoption

Meeting report

Update on Committee Programme & International Trips
The Chairperson commented that not much had changed for the Committee Programme. There was only one change- the Committee would no longer be going to Bushbuckridge the following week. The Committee did not get permission to go because the Medium Term Budget Speech would be presented in that week. The Committee would have to make plans to visit the area some other time.

The Chairperson informed Members that he and Ms S Mangena (ANC) were supposed to go to Kenya from 29 October-3 November 2011; however this trip also had to be cancelled.

The Committee was still waiting for approval of the Zimbabwe and Denmark trips. All Members who were willing could go to Denmark.

A Member sought clarity as to whether all Members would be allowed to go on the trip to Denmark.

The Chairperson confirmed that this was the case.

The Member expressed shock that Parliament would authorise this and cautioned that the Chairperson might come back to the Committee a later stage to indicate that not more than 6 Members could go.

The Chairperson said that the Committee would cross that bridge if it came to that. In its application, the Committee had indicated all Members of the Committee and staff would go.

Reports from Minister of Social Development
The Chairperson advised that the documents supplied by the Minister of Social Development would be looked at by the group secretary and the researcher and an agreement should be reached at management level on when the recommendation would be tabled. The Committee would analyse whether the responses were substantive and what to do about them. In the meantime, he asked Ms Ntombi Nkabinde, Committee Secretary, to write to the Minister and acknowledge receipt of the report and that the Committee would be processing it.

Announcement
The Chairperson announced that the Association of Public Accounts Committees (APAC) had written to the Committee to inform it that 2 of its members had been appointed to serve on their Executive Committee. These were Ms T Chiloane (ANC) and Mr Mangena. The letter had also been sent to the Speaker of Parliament.

Unauthorised report
Correctional Services
The Chairperson noted that the document was accompanied by a letter from the National Treasury and a letter from Correctional Services to the National Treasury stating that Correctional Services would be able to make savings in expenditure to offset previous unauthorised expenditure. The Chairperson observed that this was a turnaround from their previous statement that no savings could be made.

Mr S Thobejane (ANC) asked if the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services had been given this letter.

The Chairperson confirmed that the Committee was aware of the letter.

Ms A Dreyer (DA) asked if the savings would be achieved without negative consequences for service delivery.

The Chairperson replied that there would be no negative consequences.

Ms Dreyer observed that there was inconsistency with the way that figures were written in the report and suggested that the format used by the National Treasury be adopted consistently throughout.
It was decided that one paragraph relating to a recommendation by the Auditor General was a misunderstanding and should be removed. Members recommended various alterations to grammar.

The Committee approved the report with amendments.

Adoption of Oversight Reports
South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Report
The Chairperson postponed discussion of the SASSA report to the following week as the Committee had not had adequate time to look at the draft.

Correctional Services
It was noted that the purpose of each visit should be added and dates were clarified to show that two 25-year contracts had been signed in 2002, and were not valid 25 years from the current year. An addition was made to reflect that the Committee had met with both the management of the correctional centres as well as Correctional Services. Details of the dates and building costs were added for each correctional centre visited.

Mr P Pretorious (DA) suggested that instances of private initiative in building the centres should be reflected in the document.

An addition was made to the observation section to reflect that the delegation had been impressed by the training provided for prisoners. A further addition clarified that there was currently no policy of rotation, but that this was something the Minister for Correctional Services wished to address.

A member raised concerns around the determination of policy and figures; an observation reflecting that conflicting figures had been presented to the committee was required. While the Committee was impressed with the institutions, clarity on the figures was still needed. Members made various corrections to grammar and style.

The Committee adopted the report with amendments.

The meeting was adjourned.