Committee Budget: adoption

LAND SELECT COMMITTEE
26 May 2005
COMMITTEE BUDGET: ADOPTION

Chairperson: Reverend P Moatshe (ANC)

Documents handed out:
None

SUMMARY
Members discussed the budget allocation for Committee activities which had been reduced substantially. Members felt that it was not enough to enable the Committee to do oversight work. Members were dissatisfied with the treatment they had received from government departments. They resolved to raise the matter with the Ministers and the Office of the Speaker of the NCOP. Members agreed that they should prioritise their responsibilities to the Committee, rather than sending alternates.

MINUTES
The PMG monitor was unfortunately not able to attend the Committee clerk’s full briefing on the Committee budget.

Discussion
Ms B Dlulane asked whether the allocated budget catered only for the Committee or for the cluster. Why had the budget allocation decreased? M K Williams, the Committee Clerk, replied that the Finance Department had decreased every Committee’s budget, and it did refer to this Committee alone, not the cluster.

Mr Watson did not understand why the budget had been decreased because the Committee had much oversight work in visiting provinces. The Parliament budget had increased substantially, so why had they decreased the Committee allocation?

Mr Williams said that he had enquired the reason. Treasury had replied that there was not much time to undertake oversight visits. If the Committee ran short of funds, there was money set aside for ‘emergencies’.

Ms Dlulane asked the reason for the lower allocation, while the Committee had roll-over funds from the previous financial year.

Mr R Tau (ANC) said that when he had looked at the Committee programme, it gave more time for Committees to do Constituency work. However, the programme tied the Committee to Parliament and did not take into account the Committee's oversight work so they would have only a week or two to visit provinces. He requested the Chairperson and the Committee Clerk to realign the budget with the Committee Programme. Members unanimously agreed.

Mr N Mack said that the Committee should organise more oversight visits to the Western Cape. The Chairperson said that the management would have to look at the Western Cape visits.

The Chairperson invited Members to comments on the Clerk’s Minutes.

Mr Watson and Mr M Mzizi (IFP) enquired about the absence of his apologies in the minutes. Mr Williams replied that he never recieved any e-mails regarding Members apologies, but would double-check. The Chairperson asked the Secretary to provide them with a list of alternate Members.

Mr Tau moved for the adoption of the Minutes and Mr Mack seconded this. The Minutes were adopted.

Mr Williams reported that he had cancelled the trip to the Tourism Indaba because he could not find accommodation for Members. Mr L Van Rooyen (ANC) added that he had gone to the Tourism Indaba at his own expense and discovered that the Committee had been catered for.

The Chairperson said that government departments did not treat NCOP Select Committees with due respect. Mr Watson concurred that they were treated like a ‘sideshow’. He and Ms Dlulanene suggested that the Chairperson speak to the Minister and the heads of government departments.

The Chairperson said he would also speak to the Presiding Officer of the NCOP.

The meeting was adjourned.