Question NW3590 to the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services

Reply:

I have been informed by the Department and Entities as follows:

DEPARTMENT

(a)(i) There are currently no invoices that are unpaid that are overdue for the Department.

(aa) N/A

(bb) N/A

(cc) N/A

(dd) N/A

(b) N/A

ENTITIES

Entity	No of unpaid invoices	(aa) 30 days	(bb) 60 days	(cc) 90 days	(dd) 120 days
Nemisa	31	R812 228.61	R508 673.20	R5 027 382.87	-
SAPO: Post Office	9214	R44 222 064	R41 320 820	R19 759 901	R17 799 740
SAPO: Courier Freight Group	626	R402 773	R284 459	R602 790	R52 280 602
BBI	52	R3 623 944.53	R195 787.93	-	-
SITA		R51 478 773.70	R35 646 778.59	R36 807 551.31	R292 219 513.97
zaDNA		-	-	-	-
USAASA	2138	R522 796.92	R417 178.96	R807 252.19	R1 136 239.53
Sentech	143	R1 630 403.42	R794 639.70	R909 446.22	R8 337 723.62

Notes: Reasons for delays with settling the invoices

Nemisa

The reasons for the delays relates to dispute of invoices between supplier and end user; procurement documents not made available to finance to support the expenditure; dispute of rental to be paid as charged by Landlord

BBI

The 52 invoices are primary made up of 43 Tourvest invoices of which invoices have queries and once resolved will be paid.

SAPO

The invoices have not been paid due to the constrained cash flow position of both SAPO and CFG.

USAASA

The invoices not paid for more than 30 days relates to travel agents. The delays are as a results of the prolonged time to resolve queries with the service providers relating to i) lack of supporting documents provided by service providers, ii) rates charged on invoices not agreeing to quotations. The amount outstanding relating to rental of office printers was withheld due to non-completeness of services.

SENTECH

Invoices under query due to dispute over contractual assessment rates, Invoice under dispute due to rate of exchange, Invoice under dispute due to rate of exchange, Pre- payment Unreconciled due to price fluctuations in diesel, Refund from Avusa, Current invoice to be paid end of November, Incorrect Posting SAP, Masterdata (banking details) under query,

SITA

Note 1: 43 invoices amounting to R166 625 437.65 relates to Microsoft Ireland that SITA procured on behalf of consumers. SITA only pays Microsoft once the money is recovered from the customers. Of this 15 invoices amounting to R128 812 016.37 is about 120 days.

This arrangement is in place as part of SITA’s cash flow management in order to align cash inflows with cash outflows.

Note 2: 107 invoices amounting to R75 703 394.57 included in the amount over 120 days relates to disputes that are subject to formal investigations and are therefore disputes.

Payments are only processed after the formal investigations are finalized and any related disputes are resolved in line with best practice and also to ensure compliance with the PFMA.

Note 3: 580 invoices included in the amounts over 120 days amounting to R73 703 694.23 relates to disputes with suppliers that are in the process of being addressed with the specific suppliers

This relates to various disputes with specific suppliers. Invoices related to these disputes will be paid as soon as disputes are resolved in line with pest practices and also to ensure compliance with the PFMA.

Note 4: The rest of the invoices relates to operational reasons that are being addressed. The balance of invoices outstanding for longer than 120 days are 80 invoices amounting to R14 000 408.80. This small number of invoices requires further follow-up and verification before they can be paid.

Approved/ not approved

Dr Siyabonga Cwele, MP

Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services

Date: