Committee Reports on DePME & Public Service & Administration budget & Oversight report on Thusong Service Centres & National Development Agency

Meeting report

Budget votes 8 and 10: Adoption of Committee's Draft Reports
The Chairperson noted that although the Budget Vote 8 (for the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation) was due to be deliberated initially on 8 May, this was changed. It had been said that in the short week, Members could be given time to visit their constituency offices unless a pressing matter arose, and she had agreed to them doing so and meeting on 5 May. She explained that she did not attend the Programme Committee meetings and was not in control of the programme, and noted that this meeting had been called urgently because of the fact that the Committee Reports would have to be adopted, then go through the ATC procedure to be debated.

Mr S Motau (DA) asked whether the Chairperson was informed of the reasons why the debate was moved from 8 to 5 May, since it had affected caucus meetings.

The Chairperson said she was not informed, but she would enquire and report back.

The Chairperson also tabled the Draft Committee Report (the Report) on budget vote 10, for the Department of Public Service and Administration, and asked Members to indicate whether they agreed that the recommendations and findings were a reflection of what was discussed.

Ms R Lesoma (ANC) noted that she had received the Report that morning, had been through it and not picked up any inconsistency, so she moved for the adoption of the document.

Mr S Mncwabe (NFP) moved to second the adoption.

Mr A van der Westhuizen (DA) said the Democratic Alliance would need to abstain as the Members needed to get a mandate from their party.

Mr M Booi (ANC) raised a procedural matter, noting that the Committee should be reporting as a Committee, rather than as individual parties, and he believed that the Report should reflect the Committee view. Mr van der Westhuizen seemed to be asking to consult his party and not objecting.

The Chairperson clarified that Mr van der Westhuizen had said the DA representatives were not participating in the formal adoption, but were not disapproving, merely abstaining from the vote. Irrespective of whether those Members agreed or disagreed with the Report, they had no mandate yet from their parties. She reminded Mr Booi that whilst it was true that the Committee generally did vote as a Committee, Members were represented on the Committee because of their party mandates and they would need to move beyond party politics if something was not right.

Mr Booi repeated that the Committee was submitting Portfolio Committee, not Party reports to the House, and if Members agreed, then they must accept the Report and let it go to the ATC.

Mr Motau said he was not disagreeing with that principle. The only reason that this was mentioned was for the record. The various Members' parties would have to mandate and know what was being agreed to.

Committee Report on Oversight visit to Thusong Services centres and National Youth Development Agency
The Chairperson indicated that she joined the oversight visit on the last day and asked Members to consider whether the draft Report was a fair reflection.

Mr Motau said he had raised an issue on the oversight visits to Thusong centres and it had been corrected.

The Chairperson said that even though the Committee had initially thought that the Report would not be officially adopted until the Committee had managed to visit 40% of the sites, it could not wait any longer. She asked if the Committee wanted to debate, or merely table the document in the House.

Ms Lesoma suggested that it would need to be tabled by the Chairperson and if parties wanted to, they could make declarations.

Mr Motau said the DA would probably make a declaration as that was how the opposition expressed itself.

Members unanimously adopted the draft Report.

Adoption of Committee minutes
25 February 2015
The Chairperson noted those recorded as present.

Ms Lesoma recalled that she had raised an apology for Mr Booi.

This was duly added in, and the minutes were adopted, subject to amendment.

4 March 2015
The Chairperson questioned if Mr Mncwabe had been at the meeting, noting that he was always recorded as present, but she did not often see him.

Mr Mncwabe confirmed that he had been, but he was often late.

Mr Booi noted that his apology for this meeting should have been recorded.

Members adopted the minutes, subject to correction.

11 March 2015
Mr Booi indicated that he had been present at this meeting and it was confirmed that when he arrived late, he often did not sign the attendance register. 

The minutes were adopted.

Formal adoption of Committee Report on budget votes
After some discussion as to which version of the document Members were to consider, they were directed to the hard copies being circulated in the meeting.

The Chairperson asked Members to confirm that page 12 was a true reflection and Members adopted the Report, with Mr Motau asking to confirm, for the record, that the DA had reserved its position.

The meeting was adjourned.