Report back by Workgroups

Meeting report

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS STANDING COMMITTEE
12 March 2002
REPORT BACK BY WORKGROUPS

MINUTES
[This is a transcript of the meeting, produced by the Public Accounts Committee Secretariat.]

Present:

African National Congress

Mr L Chiba
Mr P Gerber
Mr DM Gumede
Ms NL Hlangwana
Mr BW Kannemeyer
Ms PK Mothoagae
Mr BZ Nair
Mr B Nobunga
Mr V Smith (chairperson)

Democratic Party

Mr M Lowe

New National Party

Col A Blaas

United Democratic Movement

Dr GW Koornhof

Apology: Mr NH Masithela

In attendance: Mr K Botes, Mr A van Wyk, Ms L Giyose

Decisions

The letter regarding the process of Treasury Replies Should be sent to the Speaker.

There will be a meeting of the Committee on the 23 April 2002 to elect a chairperson.

Matters arising

The Committee will be informed of the successful candidate for the post of researcher next week Tuesday.

Work groups should include in their report backs next week the number of main reports and miscellaneous reports referred, those that have been tabled but not referred and those that have been processed by the groups.

Members who will be sleeping at the Hotel during the APAC training should inform the secretariat by the end of the week.

The Land Affairs draft resolution will be dealt with next week Tuesday.

Deliberations

Welcome and opening by the chairperson.

The chairperson welcomed Mr Mark Lowe of the DA and announced that Mr Lowe is in group three.

Dr Koornhof proposed adoption of the minutes of the meeting of the 6 March 2002. Mr Gerber seconded him. The minutes were adopted.

The chairperson stated that the letter regarding the process of Treasury Replies has been given to him by Dr Woods. In outlining the background to the writing of the letter he stated that the Replies are submitted to National Treasury by the departments and Treasury passes them over to SCOPA. The issue is that the Constitution and the PFMA says that the executive authority is accountable to the legislature, and the DG of National Treasury has expressed a view that they want to cease being a post office.

Mr Blaas said that SCOPA should have feedback on whether the resolutions have been accepted and secondly it should get progress on the implementation of the recommendations.

Mr Kannemeyer responded that he agrees with Treasury that it cannot continue to be a post office and added that if Parliament is assigned a responsibility by the Constitution then the response should come to Parliament and not to National Treasury. In their reaction the departments should react on the recommendations and state what they agree with and what they disagree with.

The Committee agreed that the letter be sent to the Speaker and a response thereof be considered.

The chairperson reported that the panel interviewed four candidates and a candidate for appointment was agreed to. Reference checks are still being done. There is another meeting taking place on Thursday and a name will be announced next week Tuesday.

4. Group report backs

4.1 Group three: Mr D Gumede

On the Land Affairs draft resolution there is an ambiguity on page three, paragraph five. The group will look at the transcript and make it clearer so that it can be finalised by the Committee next week.

The group will consider questions on the Compensation Fund and Ntsika next week. The group proposes hearings as follows:

Labour, Compensation Fund and the Education Training Funds: 8 May
Transport, RAF and related agencies: 22 May
Public Works: 15 May

The group is still considering whether to have a hearing on Mineral and Energy Affairs.

The chairperson requested clusters to include in their report backs next week the number of main reports and miscellaneous reports referred, those that have been tabled but not referred and those that have been processed by the groups.

4.2 Group two: Ms N Hlangwana

The structure of the cluster is a problem because there are only three members and none from the opposition.

Additional questions on Housing will be sent through. Questions on five miscellaneous reports that the group dealt with will also be sent through. The hearing on Water Affairs and Forestry and Parliament will take place on 8 May 2002. Questions on both of them will be sent through.

In response to the issue on the structure of the group the chairperson said that this matter will be discussed once the new chairperson is in place.

4.3 Group one: Mr A Blaas

Mr Chiba reported that the preparation on Defence is under way. The allocation on the various aspects will be dealt with tomorrow.

Mr Blaas stated that seven main reports have been allocated to the group. Eight miscellaneous reports have been allocated to the group and three are outstanding. There will be no hearing on Foreign Affairs. The Justice resolution will be finalised today. The group is evaluating replies from SAPS. The group is waiting for replies on Correctional Services. The Secret Services report has net been tabled.

The chairperson stated that if there is a sitting on 20 March he will interact with the Chief Whip so that members of SCOPA are excused to attend to the hearing.

5. Draft resolution on Justice and Constitutional Affairs

The chairperson made a presentation on the overview of the Justice draft resolution.

The Committee discussed the draft and proposed additions and amendments and agreed that these be incorporated into the draft for consideration and adoption tomorrow.

6. Planning

The chairperson stated that the APAC training will be taking place on the 21 and 22 April and asked if the Committee would have a meeting during that week. The Committee discussed the matter and agreed that a meeting to elect the chairperson should take place on 23 April 2002.

The Committee agreed that the decision whether members will be sleeping at the hotel should be left to individual members. Those members who would like to sleep at the hotel should indicate to the secretariat by the end of the week.

The meeting adjourned at 13:10