Committee Reports and Programme; OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Tran

Meeting report

PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
16 November 2005
OECD CONVENTION ON COMBATING BRIBERY OF FOREIGN PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS: CONSIDERATION; COMMITTEE REPORTS AND PROGRAMME

Chairperson: Mr Gomomo (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) Convention on the Combating Bribery of Foreign Officials in the International Business Transactions [please email [email protected]]
Committee Report on Department's Annual Report [available shortly at Committee Reports]
Committee Report on Provincial Oversight Visit to KwaZulu/Natal, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and North West Province (31 July-12 August 2005)
Committee Draft Programme for 2006 (First Term)

SUMMARY
The Committee deliberated on the draft committee programme of 2006, the adoption of their Committee Report and the consideration of the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) Convention on the Combating Bribery of Foreign Officials in the International Business Transactions.

Members expressed their concern about the confusion around the exact date on which the Committee was to commence its work for 2006. On the schedule for the first quarter of 2006 were the adoption of the OECD Convention, the discussion of issues stemming from its oversight visits to KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and North West provinces, the discussions on the 2005 Departmental Annual Reports as well as a Strategic Planning Workshop.

MINUTES
Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) Convention on the Combating Bribery of Foreign Officials in the International Business Transactions
As agreed on the 9 November 2005, the OECD Convention on the Combatting of Bribery of Foreign Officials in International Business Transactions was read rather than adopted by the Committee. Further deliberations and consultations with the Minister were still pending. The Minister would also be called to the Committee to clarify issues regarding the adoption of the Convention.

Committee Report on Department's Annual Report
The Committee adopted the Committee Report. The Chairperson expressed his concern over the lack of involvement of the local and provincial spheres of government in the formulation of the Report. He stressed that the Committee would have to strive to involve all spheres of government in its work.

Committee Programme 2006
The Committee went on to consider its programme for the first quarter (January 2006-March 2006). All members expressed confusion over the lack of clarity regarding specific dates on which the work of the Committee would commence. The Chairperson expressed his dismay over the confusion this lack of clarity had caused.

Members were informed that the programme before the Committee was merely a draft as it was difficult to find appropriate dates for some of the issues that had to be dealt with. It was therefore essential for the Committee to deal with the important issues early so that it did not clash with other important events on the parliamentary calendar (State of the Nation Address and annual Budget Speech) as well as the upcoming local government elections.

The Committee would meet on 6 February to discuss those issues which had emerged from their provincial oversight visit to KwaZulu/Natal, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and North West Province (31July-12 August 2005).

The Chairperson suggested that the Minister should be invited to the Committee to clarify issues and questions stemming from the analysis of the Annual Departmental Reports of 2005.

The date for the Strategic Planning Workshop, involving the Department, the Public Service Commission (PSC), the State Information and Technology Agency (SITA) and the South African Management Development Institute (SAMDI) had to be confirmed before 6 February, although the time slots had already been allocated. Ms M Matsomela (ANC) said that the planning of the vision of 2006 should take place before the workshop so as to ensure that issues emerging out of the report could also be included in the proceedings.

Ms L Maloney (ANC) suggested that the issues of local government, especially in its relation to Public Finance Management Act, and how financial conversion would proceed, had to be included either as part of the planned Public Service Workshop or prior to this.

The Chairperson said that the Committee had much important work to do in the following year. This necessitated the possible division of the Committee into more focused groups that would tackle different issues. He stressed that members had to ensure their commitments to other committees did not clash with their obligations to this Committee. Members were congratulated and thanked for their hard work during 2005.

The meeting was adjourned.