Committee Programme: adoption & Committee Report on First Quarter Expenditure: discussion

JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE
14 September 2007
COMMITTEE PROGRAMME: ADOPTION & COMMITTEE REPORT ON FIRST QUARTER EXPENDITURE: DISCUSSION

Co-Chairpersons: Ms L Mabe (ANC)
                               Mr B Mkhaliphi (ANC, Mpumalanga )

Documents handed out:
Draft Committee Expenditure Report – First Quarter 2007/2008
Joint Budget Committee: Draft Programme First Term 2008
Joint Budget Committee Draft Programme Fourth Term

Audio recording of meeting

SUMMARY:
The Committee considered its Fourth Term Programme and adopted it, with amendments. The Committee continued its deliberations on the First Quarter Expenditure Report, highlighting government departments that failed to provide proper service delivery. Deliberations on the Report would continue in the Fourth Term of Parliament.
 
MINUTES:
Draft Committee Fourth Term Programme
Ms Mabe highlighted the need to work within a set time frame.

The Committee discussed the Draft Programme and effected minor technical amendments..

The Draft Programme was adopted by the Committee.
 
First Quarter Expenditure Report
Ms Mabe praised Mr Khaya, the new Parliamentary Researcher, for the Report he had compiled. She added adding that it was the first time in years that a good quality Report had been compiled.
 
Mr Mkhaliphi indicated that the comments, recommendations and other input included in the Report was a consolidation of its work on the Report over the past two financial years. He proceeded to highlighted performances of particular government departments in the past two financial years.

Ms R Mashigo (ANC) singled out service delivery to the general public as being the main concern, as their seemed to be a disjuncture between actual service delivery and government’s policies.

Mr Mkhaliphi said it was the responsibility of the Committee to firmly comment on those government departments that were guilty of such disjuncture.

Mr S Dithebe (ANC) warned against the impact of those government departments that had concurrent functions, such as the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. That department was unable to meet its commitment to eradicate the bucket system within a specified time frame. He was of the opinion that that failure to deliver was due to the fact that that department had concurrent functions.

The Committee Secretary, Mr Perran Hahndiek, pointed out that although the Committee was not a policy-making Committee, it must nevertheless be able to make observations as well as recommendations on the Report.

The meeting was adjourned.