Committee Report on Department Budget: adoption

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
27 MARCH 2007
COMMITTEE REPORT ON DEPARTMENT BUDGET: ADOPTION

Chairperson: Ms T Tshivase (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Committee Report on Department of Social Development 2007/08 Budget
Committee Programme

Audio Recording of the Meeting

MINUTES
Committee Report on Department of Social Development 2007/08 Budget
The Committee scrutinised the report and noted the following comments:
- There should be a deadline set for the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), with regard to their vetting procedures, in the prevention of illegal activities, for managers.
- The Central Drug Authority’s (CDA) presentation was hampered by time constraints and thus it promised to hand over a copy of the report and the budget to the Committee. Members acknowledged that they had received a report but not a copy of the budget. It should therefore be stated that the Committee had not received a budget. The Committee’s observations would have to be made at a later stage once all the necessary documents had been received.
- Members stated that the Committee had not met with the South African Council for Social Services Professionals (SACSSP); therefore the Committee's observation should be taken out of the Report.
- With regard to the Black Sash submission, members felt that the Committee Report focused too much on what the Black Sash was about, rather than its comments on the budget. This should be remedied. It was also stated that Black Sash had raised specific questions on departmental issues raised in the Financial Fiscal Commission’s (FFC) recommendations. Members felt that the Committee should follow up on this.
- It was noted that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) also raised specific issues regarding lack of funding, the extension of the child support grant, and the poverty line. Members felt that the report should state that the comments made by UNICEF regarding the services have been noted.

The Committee then unanimously adopted the Report with these changes and a few minor technical amendments

Meeting adjourned.