Budgetary Review Recommendations Reports; Third Term Committee Programme

Meeting report

Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report: Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA)

The Chairperson welcomed everyone and took the Committee through the Budgetary Review Recommendations Report for the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA). He invited inputs from Members.

Dr L Schreiber (DA) asked why the Department was applauded for an unqualified audit outcome. He referred to the observations section of the Report and said critical positions should be filled within the Department and its entities. 

Ms R Lesoma (ANC) replied that the commendation was in order as audits are carried out separately for different entities.

Ms M Ntuli (ANC) agreed that vacant posts should be filled urgently, particularly the critical ones. The Committee should identify the critical posts.

Mr S Malatsi (DA) said there should be a clear distinction between ordinary and critical posts. Ordinary posts should be filled once the Department’s organisational structure is complete. However, critical posts need to be filled when they occur.

Ms M Clarke (DA) referred to the recommendations section of the report and said there should be 100% compliance by the Directors and disciplinary action against those that are non-compliant. 

The Chairperson asked for suggestions from Members about how the recommendation speaking to how non-compliant Directors should be tailored. 

Dr Schreiber felt there was some contradiction in how the recommendation on the compliance and performance improvements on the part of departmental management was articulated.

Ms Lesoma replied that the Committee sought to acknowledge improvements in performance and compliance by Directors because previously there seemed to have been no compliance at all. She expressed disappointment in the slow pace of improvements and noted a typographical error on point 3.14 which needed correction.

Dr Schreiber asked about progress in ensuring that the Technical Unit is operational.

Ms Lesoma asked for clarity on said Technical Unit.

Dr Schreiber pointed out that the Minister had mentioned that the Technical Unit was at its incubation stage and the Committee would want to receive a progress report on this commitment.

The Chairperson replied that the Committee majority had no knowledge of the Technical Unit. He suggested that the Minister be requested to clarify this at a later stage.

Ms Lesoma agreed there was need for clarity on said Technical Unit to avoid confusion. She expressed concern about grammatical errors in the Report.

Ms Ntuli felt parliamentary staff should not be persecuted for their inability to write grammatically correct reports.

Ms M Kibi (ANC) said Members should be able to express their unhappiness about a report regardless of who wrote it. 

A Member said that the implementation of regulations should be decentralised and the Department should be empowered to act independently.

Dr Schreiber said the Department should implement Committee recommendations as there will be follow-up discussions on them.

The Chairperson said inputs from Members were noted and indicated the report would be put up for adoption the following day.

Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report: Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME)

The Chairperson invited comments and inputs from Members on the draft BRR Report for DPME.

Members highlighted some typographical errors which needed to be corrected. They were agreeable to the report as is. 

Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report: Stats SA

The Chairperson invited comments from Members on the BRR Report on Stats SA

Mr Malatsi said an increase in vacant posts should not be acceptable for all entities especially Stats SA.

Ms Lesoma agreed with Mr Malatsi and echoed his sentiments.

Dr Schreiber commented on the Observations and said DPSA should have been commended on its clean audit outcome just as Stats SA was commended. This would serve as some form of encouragement.  

Chairperson commenced to recommendations and the conclusion of the report

Ms Lesoma wanted to know whether Stats SA advises the council of the National Development Programme. 

The Chairperson expressed his satisfaction with the work of the Committee in formulating the reports. The reports will be put up for adoption the following day.

Committee programme

The Chairperson took the Committee through draft Committee programme for the rest of the year. Members should take time to consider the programme. The draft programme was as follows:

• On Wednesday 16 October, the Committee will adopt the BRRR report which will be sent to the House for further processing.

• On Thursday 17 October, there will be shortlisting of Sub-committee members
• On Wednesday 23 October, the shortlisted Sub-committee members will be interviewed for vacancies
• On Wednesday 30 October, Committee will reconvene
• On Wednesday 6 November, the Committee will be briefed by DPSA and GCIS
• On Wednesday 13 November, Committee will be briefed by Brand SA on social cohesion and Department of Human Settlements
• On 30 November, Committee will receive a briefing from DPSA

The Committee’s December programme will be based on the date set by the House’s initial programme

The meeting was adjourned.