Question NW31 to the Minister of Higher Education and Training

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26 February 2018 - NW31

Profile picture: Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP

Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP to ask the Minister of Higher Education and Training

(1)With reference to the irregular expenditure regarding an events company as per an audit finding in the 2016-17 financial year, (a) what (i) are the details of the events for which the company was appointed and (ii) is the company’s name, (b) who is the company’s (i) director and/or (ii) owner and (c) why was (i) there urgency in finding an events manager and (ii) the event not planned long in advance; (2) What (a) number of persons attended the events and (b) was the break-down of the costs incurred in respect of each event?

Reply:

1. (a) (i) The service provider was appointed to manage events including conferences, workshops, seminars, official meetings, etc. on behalf of the Department of Higher Education and Training.

(ii) Batsumi Travel (Pty) Ltd.

(b) Ms Lisa Sebogodi (Owner and Director)

(c) (i) One of the major events, which the Department participates annually, is the Mandela-Day Career Festival. Initially the Department was going to share the management responsibilities with other partakers and would thus not be mainly responsible for the procurement. This however changed with the nearing of the event. In order for the Department to be mainly responsible for the procurement, a bid process had to be followed to secure service providers to arrange and manage the event. Therefore, the urgent appointment of an events management company was of essence, which led to the shortened period for advertising.

(ii) The Department compiled a list of planned events, though it was not conclusive and all-inclusive.

2. Annexure A provides a list of all events to date that were arranged by the events management company with the number of participants and cost for hosting each event.

ANNEXURE A

Name of Event

No. of Attendees

Cost of the Event (R)

Mpumalanga Region Moderation of Adult Basic Education and Training

37

242 406.00

National Artisan Development Strategic Workshop

20

47 908.80

Technical and Vocational Education and Training Branch Strategic Planning Workshop

23

23 376.95

Technical and Vocational Education Training Colleges Technical Strategic Plan Workshop

130

62 161.56

Task Team Meeting in Mpumalanga Gert Sibande District

17

6 462.72

Community Education and Training Colleges Task Team Meeting

13

9 153.00

Ministerial Committees Consultative Meeting

12

8 478.00

Teaching and Learning Support Material Refinement Workshop

18

20 023.20

Director-General’s meeting with Stakeholders

25

16 565.80

National Artisan Development Provincial Roadshow

150

124 740.00

National Artisan Development Provincial Roadshow

100

72 715.32

Departmental Strategic Planning Workshop

102

329 259.38

Strategic co-ordination meeting

46

47 260.80

Minister’s meeting with National Education Health and Allied Workers Union and South African Students Congress – Eastern Cape

25

1 944.00

Meeting with Universities South Africa (USAf)

60

2 030.40

Underperforming Learning Areas Workshop

150

33 725.70

Minister’s meeting with multi stakeholders

20

459 982.80

Meeting with Student Representative Councils

40

22 788.00

University Capacity Development Grant Workshop

60

8 640.00

Skills Conference Task Team with Skills Education Training Authorities

30

27 828.36

Minister’s meeting at the Airport

4

24 683.00

Minister’s meeting with Stakeholders

8

5 054.40

Minister’s meeting with Stakeholders

4

2 160.00

Performance Management and Development Systems 2015/16

100

145 800.00

Meeting for Mediating Draft Community Education and Training Staffing Norms

35

32 292.00

Task Team meeting in Gert Sibande, Mpumalanga

10

6 782.40

Primary Teacher Education (PrimTED) Project Workshop

30

16 327.44

Ministerial Meeting with Multi-Stakeholders

180

194 213.16

Minister’s meeting with Director-General

4

6 048.00

Curriculum and Assessment Planning Meeting

22

46 368.83

Minister’s meeting with Auditor-General

15

14 407.20

Minister’s meeting with the China Ambassador

8

6 681.96

Mpumalanga Region Setting of 2016 Adult Education and Training Level 3

30

226 303.74

Study Group for the Minister

12

2 721.60

Ministerial Meeting with National Education Health and Allied Workers Union Leadership

8

3 348.00

Minister’s meeting with Stakeholders

5

5 724.00

Meeting with Registrars of KwaZulu-Natal and Chief Executive Officers and Chief Accounting Officers

20

7 236.00

Strategic Workshop in North West Region

23

39 365.14

Planning Workshop for 2017

33

143 470.44

Ministers Meeting with Advisors

15

13 257.00

Strategic Coordination Meeting with Community Education and Training Principals

40

82 243.61

Minister’s meeting with the Director-General

2

1 080.00

Briefing meeting on Pan African University Memo

10

6 921.72

Community Education and Training Mpumalanga Consultative meeting

33

14 202.00

Minister’s Meeting in Pietermaritzburg

4

2 160.00

Minister’s meeting with Student Representative Councils Leadership in Secunda

36

15 360.84

Minister’s meeting South African Students Congress Leadership

12

9 763.20

National Skills Authority Workshop and Board Meeting Provincial Skills Development Forum

40

63 599.36

Ministerial Meeting with Minister of Transport

15

9 223.20

Technical and Vocational Education and Training and Skills Education Training Authorities Forum Meeting

50

93 744.00

Minister Meeting with Pan Africanist Student Movement Association

15

9 572.04

Waterberg Career Exhibition 2016 Event

2 130

298 512.00

Minister meeting with Community Education and Training Colleges Task Team on Flexible Manufacturing System

37

23 279.40

Student Housing Symposium

200

37 674.72

Minister’s meeting with Technical and Vocational Education and Training Governor Council

40

27 466.56

Higher Education Parents Dialogue Conference

50

110 808.00

Working session on refinement of curriculum statements for African Languages for National Senior Certificate for Adults and General Education and Training Certificate for Adults

50

50 000.00

Ministerial Briefing: Preparatory meeting on upcoming multi-stakeholder meeting

20

4 536.00

Total

4 878

3 369 841.75

 

COMPILER DETAILS

NAME AND SURNAME: MR THEUNS TREDOUX

CONTACT: 012 312 5896

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Minister signs Parliamentary Question 31.

MR GF QONDE

DIRECTOR–GENERAL: HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING

DATE:

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION 31 IS APPROVED / NOT APPROVED / AMENDED.

COMMENT/S

PROF HB MKHIZE, MP

MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING

DATE:

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