Committee Report on Site Visit: finalisation; Poverty Alleviation and Interventions: Briefing by Department

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She stated that the purpose of the report was to facilitate public accountability by bringing audit findings as well as sugges

PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
19 February 2003
COMMITTEE REPORT ON SITE VISIT: FINALISATION; POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND INTERVENTIONS: BRIEFING BY DEPARTMENT

Chairperson:
Mr P J Gomomo (ANC)

Documents handed out:

Presentation on Poverty Alleviation and Intervention
Supplementary briefing on Poverty Alleviation and Intervention
Committee Report on visit to Alexandra Urban Renewal Project

SUMMARY
The Committee adopted their report on a visit to the Alexandra Urban Renewal Project with a number of substantive amendments. The Department of Public Service and Administration briefed the Committee on poverty alleviation and intervention, concentrating on support to service delivery institutions and the challenges and infrastructure problems experienced by these institutions. The presentation was, however, cut short as the Committee found the presentation inappropriate. The Committee requested a briefing on the policy framework for poverty alleviation and specific interventions on poverty.

MINUTES
Adoption of site visit report
Mr Baloyi (ANC), who had led the delegation on the Alexandra Urban Renewal Project visit, highlighted the key points of the relevant report. He focused on the recommendations adopted by the Committee.

Discussion
Mr B Bell (DP) felt that recommendation number four, which called for the Department of Provincial and Local Government to look into the question of providing financial assistance to enable ward Committees to perform their tasks, was too broad. He felt that it affected the Municipal Structures Act and suggested a change of wording.

Mr Baloyi agreed to amend the recommendation.

Mr Kgwele (ANC) commented on recommendation number seven, which called for a strategic intervention to reverse the tendency that SMME's collapse at the same rate they are established.
He sought an amendment to which Mr Bell agreed.

Mr Kgwele felt that the word "support" was very vague; did it mean financial support or managerial support?

Adv Madasa (ACDP) suggested that the word "support" be done away with completely when rephrasing the recommendation.

Mr Baloyi explained recommendation number eight. The Department of Agriculture had managed to spend only 2% of the funds disbursed by the European Union. It was necessary that a time limit of not later that 31 March 2003 be set for the Department to submit a detailed plan on spending.

Mr Bell felt that 31 March was too late but that the conditions imposed by the Committee were too stringent.

Mr Gomomo (ANC) felt that the date was specific and appropriate enough.

Mr Kgwele referred to recommendation number nine, which concerned the proper functioning of border post offices. This should apply to all regional border posts as this was a national issue.

Mr Baloyi explained that the Bloemfontein service point was inaccessible, as stated in recommendation number ten, due to the fact there were only two lifts and two escalators and the locals were reluctant to use the escalators. The lifts were therefore always full and the service point was poorly ventilated.

Mr Bell remarked that Lindela was not a border post as indicated in recommendation number eleven, but was a transit camp. Mr Gomomo felt that there should be a time frame given to the Department of Home Affairs on the filling of vacancies. The "as soon as is convenient to do so" was too vague.

Mr Kgwele suggested that the Committee request regular briefings on the filling of vacancies.

Mr Baloyi reminded the Committee that there were various reasons behind the delays in the filling of vacancies.

Mr T Abrahams (UDM) insisted that the Committee was not interested in the reasons, only in the facts. All that was required was a report and the reasons would come subsequently.

Mr Baloyi suggested to the Committee that they ought to read a report submitted by social workers to the Ministry of Public Service and Administration. That ought to clarify the salary problems mentioned in recommendation number thirteen.

Dr U Roopnarain ((IFP) suggested that recommendation number seven be amended to read as follows:
"There should be a strategic intervention for the sustainability of SMMEs"

The Committee agreed with this.

Mrs Maloney proposed that the report be adopted then implemented .The Committee also agreed with this.

Further amendments would be made to recommendations number two, four, eleven and twelve.

The Committee adopted the report.

Briefing by Department of Public Service and Administration
Mr Mashwale Diplofa from DPSA made a presentation to the committee on poverty alleviation, focusing on support to service delivery institutions.

He insisted that institutions could serve as direct vehicles through which poverty alleviation initiatives could take shape and were therefore an important part of the value chain. Government institutions had a crucial role in contract management, oversight and overall accountability. Capable institutions were therefore required.

He identified the recurring capacity weakness in institutions as being management capacity where there existed unnecessary number of acting positions, limited delegations, posts that were vacant for too long, poor selection of managers.

There was also a gap between planning, budgeting and service delivery in most institutions. Furthermore, no mechanisms had been put in place for redress in case service delivery standards were not met.

The overall management of the service delivery chain was poor, assets and facilities, including maintenance and replenishment, were poorly managed.

Basic administration was non-existent: poor keeping of records, non-adherence to basic systems and procedures.

At this point Mr Mashwale was interrupted by the Chairperson, Mr Gomomo, who expressed his dissatisfaction at the presentation. The Committee had expected something totally different. The presentation contained no specifications of any intervention on poverty.

Mr Mthembu (ANC) stated that he expected the presentation to identify and elaborate on the achievements and the policy framework put in place to alleviate poverty.

Ms Tambulawa (ANC) requested that the presentation be stopped and another date set for an appropriate one.

Mr Khaya Ngema (Department) apologised to the Committee. He said that there must have been a lack of communication between the Committee and the DPSA.

His apology was accepted and the meeting was adjourned.

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