Question NW4199 to the Minister of Finance
07 December 2015 - NW4199
Lees, Mr RA to ask the Minister of Finance
(1)Whether the intergovernmental report commissioned by him on the latest round of the redeterminations of municipal boundaries initiated by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in 2015, was presented by the National Treasury to the National Council of Provinces’ Select Committee on Appropriations; if not, why not; if so, (a) on what date did the presentation take place and (b) what were the outcomes of the presentation to the specified committee; (2) whether hard copies of the specified report were provided to the members of the specified committee (a) on the day of the specified presentation and/or (b) on a later date; if not, (i) why not, (ii) what are the relevant reasons for the National Treasury Officials’ failure to provide copies of the specified report and (iii) when will the specified report be provided to the specified members; if so, what are the further relevant details?
Reply:
- National Treasury was requested by the Chairperson of the MDB on 16 March 2015 to submit information on the potential impact on municipal viability of several proposed boundary redeterminations. A report providing this information was submitted to the MDB on 6 August 2015. Honourable van Lingen wrote to the Minister of Finance on 27 August 2015 and requested a copy of this report. In a reply dated 26 October 2015, the Minister of Finance informed Honourable van Lingen that it was not possible to share this report before the budget is tabled as it includes information on budget allocations to affected municipalities and all budget information is embargoed prior to the tabling of the budget. As such no report was presented to the Select Committee on Appropriations.
- As outlined above, no report was presented to the Select Committee on Appropriations.