Report Back by Work Groups; Tabling of Resolutions, Method of Work, Draft Business Plan, Committee Annual Report; & Tabling of C

DRAFT MINUTES OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS
REPORT BACK BY WORK GROUPS; TABLING OF RESOLUTIONS, METHOD OF WORK, DRAFT BUSINESS PLAN, COMMITTEE ANNUAL REPORT; & TABLING OF COMMITTEE BUDGET 2006/07
08 MARCH 2006

Chairperson: Mr T Godi (PAC)

Documents handed out:
None

These minutes were produced by the SCOPA Secretariat

MINUTES
AGENDA

Agenda moved and accepted for adoption

Minutes 02 February 2006

Minutes adopted: Mr D Maluleke moved and Mr P Gerber seconded

Matters arising:

Outstanding payments to APAC

The Committee is still waiting on a response after the matter was submitted to the relevant officials.

Status of Parastatals

The Chairperson, noting that this issue is on the Agenda for this meeting, proposed that the Committee postpone the discussion and deal with it at the hearing with the Accountant General to be held on Wednesday, 22 March 2006. It was accordingly accepted.

Report-back by Work Groups

Group 1 – Mr P Gerber

The Group discussed, adopted and herewith table the following draft resolutions:

Category C (Resolutions)

BANKSETA
CIDB
CTFL-SETA
FASSETA
MERSETA
PAETA
The Office of the Ombud for Financial Services Providers
SASRIA Limited

The Group agreed that there should be a resolution requesting the Auditor-General to produce a special report regarding performance bonuses, funded positions not filled, salary increases for top management and share options relating to public entities.

Committee decision: The Committee agreed to the proposal and awaits the Groups resolution on this matter.

The Group required clarity on whether to consider the General Report at Group level or at Plenary level.

Committee decision: The Committee agreed that Plenary would produce a resolution on the General Report. The planning process of the committee will finalise how this will be done.

The Group also agreed that the Committee should send letters to those public entities that have not yet tabled their annual reports to Parliament.

Committee decision: The Committee agreed to the drafting of the resolution. The planning committee will decide on the relevant administrative route to follow. The resolution must take into account the Section 65 replies tabled by the departments and entities.

The Group requested the administration to follow up on whether the Transnet report has been referred to SCOPA.


Group 2 – Ms L Mashiane

The Group tabled the following categorisation:

Category A (Hearings)

National Library
(Possible site visit)
Material weakness in internal controls for procurement, no proper records of book collections, non-compliance with supply chain management framework

Education
Have not appeared for past 05 years
Non-compliance with DORA
Info System audit identified lack of documented procedures

Social Development
DORA issue, R31, 8 million not utilised for poverty relief project,
Conditional Grants not fully utilised by Provinces

National Development Agency A

Category B (Questions)

Department of Arts and Culture
Afrikaanse Taal Museum
ARTSCAPE
Freedom Park Trust
Innovation Fund Trust
Iziko Museums of Cape Town
Natal Museum
National Arts Council B
National Film and Video Foundation
National Museum - Bloemfontein
Northern Flagship Institution
Pan South African Language Board
Playhouse Company
Performing Arts Centre of the Free State (PACOFS)
South African Library for the Blind
Voortrekker and Ncome Museums
War Museums of the Boer Republic
National Student Financial Aid Scheme
SAQA


Category C (Resolutions)

Business and Arts of South Africa
Engelburg House Collection
Market Theatre
Nelson Mandela Museum
William Humphreys Art Gallery
Council on Higher Education
Education Labour Relations Council
uMalusi council for quality assurance
South African National Accreditation System
(The Group categorised this report but observed that the entity falls under the Department of Trade and Industry and not the Department of Arts and Culture.)




Group 2 Programme update proposals

SCOPA Training Workshop: Wednesday 29 March 2006
The Group agreed that a training session is needed for new members and proposed the above-mentioned date.

First hearing of Group 2:
The Group proposed that the Compensation Commissioner for
Occupational Diseases will be the first hearing for Group 2. Its motivation is that it was a category A since 2004 but due to various reasons a hearing was never held.

The Group also queries the rationale of having a number of separate, legislated compensation schemes that might render better service under one umbrella.

Committee decision: The Group must resolve the issue of the separate compensation schemes and table a proposal to plenary.

SCOPA PROGRAMME 02 UPDATE

The Chairperson requested the Groups to finalise the hearings programme and report back to Plenary on Wednesday, 15 March 2006.

Wednesday, 22 March 2006: The committee will correspond with the Accountant General to brief the committee on the issues relating to the exempted entities such as Telkom.

SCOPA Training Workshop: The Committee agreed that the workshop should take place on Wednesday, 29 March 2006. The planning committee will propose a draft framework on Wednesday, 15 March 2006 with a venue outside of Parliament within Cape Town. An overnight stay on Tuesday, 28 March 2006 is preferred.

The Secretariat has requested APAC to supply it with an invoice for payment of the Affiliation Fee for 2006. The committee agreed that SCOPA should take an active leadership role in APAC and be proactive in setting the example of paying its dues on time.

The Chairperson reported that the Council of Delegates (COD) meeting of APAC was postponed until further notice.

NEW BUSINESS

SCOPA Annual Report 2005

The Committee agreed to postpone discussion of the report until Wednesday, 15 March 2006. Any inputs or suggestions by members must be communicated to the Secretariat to amend the report.

Draft Business Plan 2006/07

The committee agreed to postpone the discussion and deal with the business plan at the workshop scheduled for Wednesday, 29 March 2006.

Draft Budget 2006/07 of SCOPA

The committee was allocated R400 000.00. The breakdown of the budget is a first draft that members will assess and amend on Wednesday, 15 March 2006.

Adoption of Group 1 resolutions tabled Wednesday, 01 February 2006

The committee adopted the following resolutions:

Accounting Standard Board
ACSA
Competition Tribunal
DBSA
ECIC
Financial Service Board
Godisa Trust
Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park
IDC
National Agricultural Marketing Council
SANAS
SABC
SABS
South African National Biodiversity Institute
South African National Parks
SA Tourism
Trade Investment SA
Onderstepoort Biological Products Ltd.

Other Business

Draft Report on Best Practice Guide

The committee agreed that the committee must make an input. It further agreed that the Committees Focus Group, responsible for compiling this guide, must provide a brief summary of the issues affecting SCOPA at the training workshop on Wednesday, 29 March 2006.

SCOPA resolutions as a standard feature of Departments’ Annual Reports

It was put forward that departments must include the resolutions of SCOPA as a standard part of their reporting requirements to Parliament. The Office of the Auditor-General informed the committee that National Treasury implemented disclosure requirements for annual reporting that came into effect during the 04/05 reports.

The committee requested that it be supplied with a copy of the reporting requirements.

Catering Budget of Committee

The committee agreed that the amount of tea, coffee, juice and food ordered must be reduced. This will be a cost saving initiative and will reduce the amount of food left to waste.

6. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 10:06.




Chairperson: Mr N T Godi Date: