ATC130507: Report of the Standing Committee on Finance on the Appointment of Director for the Parliamentary Budget Office, dated 07 May 2013
Finance Standing Committee
REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
ON THE APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, DATED 07
MAY 2013
1. The Parliamentary Budget Office
Section 15 of the Money Bills
Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act,
Act No. 9 of
2009 (the Act), establishes
the Parliamentary Budget Office. The Parliamentary Budget Office must
provide independent, objective and professional advice and analysis to
Parliament on matters related to the budget and other money Bills. A Director
must manage the Parliamentary Budget Office. The Director must be appointed by
resolution of both Houses of Parliament, after a recommendation of the
Committees on Finance and Appropriations of both Houses. In terms of subsection
15(7) of the Act, any committee considering making such recommendation
contemplated in the Act must do so in an open and transparent manner. In
addition, the aforementioned Committees must also recommend to the Houses of
Parliament the conditions of service for the appointee.
2. Setting up of Budget Office and Appointment of Director
On
24 May 2012, the National Assembly, citing technical challenges that have
become apparent during the implementation of the Act, passed a resolution,
instructing the Standing Committee on Finance (the Committee) to review the Act
with a view to introduce amending legislation if necessary.
A Political Task Team was appointed
to advise the Houses on the implementation of the Act, and to consider
pertinent aspects relating to the implementation of the Act. The matter of the
appointment of the Director to the Parliamentary Budget Office also received
the attention of the Task Team.
Since May 2012, Professor M I
Jahed
was seconded from the Development Bank of South
Africa (DBSA) to assist Parliament in the process of setting up the
Parliamentary Budget Office.
The project led by Prof.
Jahed
has been able to outline and clarify the functions
and scope of the office, design an operational structure, established networks
with external stakeholders and engaged political parties and relevant
Committees.
The Task Team was satisfied with the
work that the project has been able to accomplish within a limited period of
time and resources. In addition, the Task Team was of the view that it was
important to ensure continuity in the work that has been initiated. To this
end, the Task Team recommended to the four Committees charged with the
responsibility of identifying the Director for the Parliamentary Budget Office
to consider Prof.
Jahed
for appointment as Director.
3.
Prof.
Jaheds
Profile
Prof.
Jahed
holds a PhD in Economics and obtained experience and expertise in economic
development, economic policy formulation and public and development management.
He served as a senior economic planning specialist at the DBSA, was appointed
Deputy Director General: Office of the
Prof.
Jahed
joined the South African business sector representative group, the National Business
Initiative, as Director of Economics. From 2003 to 2005, Prof.
Jahed
was seconded by the South African Presidency as Chief
Economist and Head of Policy, Strategy and Research of the New Partnership for
African Development (NEPAD) Secretariat. From 2005 to 2010, Prof.
Jahed
was a Professor at the
Since May 2010, Prof.
Jahed
has been employed at the DBSA as Divisional
Executive: Policy and Integration. In addition to being appointed to the
National Presidential Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Advisory
Council, Prof.
Jahed
serves on various Boards
including, Chairman:
Magalies
Water Board and
Director: Small Business Project.
4. Committees Deliberations
The Standing Committee on Finance deliberated
on the recommendations of the Task Team, and on Prof.
Jaheds
profile. In reaching its decision on the matter, the Committee took into
consideration the substantive interactions that Prof.
Jahed
has had with the different political parties and with individual members, his
extensive expertise in finance and economics, and the degree of professionalism
with which he has conducted his work over the past eleven months. Based on the
above points, the Standing Committee on Finance is of the view that Prof.
Jahed
is a suitable candidate to head the Parliamentary
Budget Office.
The Committee having engaged and
tested the suitability of Prof.
Jahed
as the Director
of the Parliamentary Budget Office, recommended that he be offered a 5 year
employment contract to head the office in line with section 15 (5) (b) of the
Act.
5. Conclusion and Recommendation
In accordance with subsections 15(5)
(a) and (b) of the Act, the Standing Committee on Finance recommends as follows:
5.1
That Professor M I
Jahed
be appointed as Director of the Parliamentary
Budget Office.
5.2
That the appointment of the Director of the
Parliamentary Budget Office
be
subject
to agreement
to a 5 year performance based renewable contract with
the
conditions of
service (including salary and allowance) being substantially
the
same as those of
the top rank of the public service as per subsection
15(5
)(
b) of the
Act.
Report to be considered.
Documents
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