The Parliamentary Oversight Authority having considered proposed amendments to "Facilities for Members of the National Assembly and Permanent Delegates to the National Council of Provinces" (generally referred to as L19) recommends for adoption by the Houses the following amended policy to replace the existing policy:-

1. AIR JOURNEYS

(1)(a) A member (including her/his spouse or companion) is entitled to undertake the following air journeys in the economy class per financial year (1 April to 31 March of any year) on any sector of the national internal airline services at the expense of Parliament.

1. Members resident in the Western Cape whose constituency offices are in Cape Town – 54 single air journeys.
2. All other members – 78 single air journeys.

2. A member with 10 or more years’ Parliamentary service (including her/his spouse or companion) is entitled to travel in the business class.
3. If there are no seats available in the economy class when a booking is made a member may upgrade to the business class upon payment of the cost of the additional airfare. The member may then claim 80% of the additional payment back from the Secretary to Parliament (Secretary). The airline or travel bureau concerned must certify that the economy class was fully booked. A maximum of 4 single air journeys of the combined total quota per financial year of a member and her/his spouse or companion and the other registered persons who are entitled to travel facilities, may be used for this purpose.
4. A member may upgrade to the business class the tickets to which she/he or her/his spouse/companion, dependant, parent or parent-in-law is entitled (even when there are seats available in the economy class) upon payment of the cost of the additional airfare.

(2) Each dependant (see paragraph 10) of a member is entitled to undertake 12 single economy class air journeys per financial year. A journey undertaken by─

(a) a dependant under the age of 2 years will be counted as one fifth of an air journey; and

2. a dependant over the age of 2 years but under the age of 12 years will be counted as half an air journey.

(3) A member may use any number of her/his quota per financial year of air journeys for travelling by her/his registered companion, spouse or dependant.

4. Birth certificates must be submitted with all dependant’s applications.

 

5. Affidavits must be submitted during each financial year to confirm that a dependant is, or remains, a direct dependant.

 

6. The parent or parent-in-law of a member who is wholly dependent upon her/him and is regularly maintained by her/him─

(a) is entitled to 2 single economy class air journeys per financial year if the total monthly income of that parent or parent-in-law does not exceed the amount of the current old-age pension; or

2. may use 2 of the member's quota of air journeys per financial year if the total monthly income of that parent or parent-in-law exceeds the amount of the current old-age pension.
3. Either of the 2 parents or current parents-in-law may be registered for this purpose. A Member will only be entitled to register two persons per financial year.
4. A parent’s/parent-in-law’s travel facilities will be limited to journeys from the member’s or the parent’s/parent-in-law’s home base to Cape Town and back.

(7) Travel facilities for dependants, parents/parents-in-law and former members for the purposes referred to in paragraph 9(3), must be applied for at the Finance Section.

(8) Air journeys will only be reinstated for unused or lost air tickets when the Finance Section receives the refund from the travel bureau or airline concerned.

1. A member, her/his spouse or companion, dependant, parent or parent-in-law may use a single air journey for a single train journey. Each train journey is offset against the quota per financial year of air journeys. Single air journeys may be used to travel by luxury train if the member pays the difference between the fare by air over the same route and the fare by luxury train.

(2) Members must pay the full cost of the luxury train fare and claim the cost of the equivalent air journey from the Finance Section on production of proof of travel

(3) (a) When a member travels alone, a journey by train may be undertaken in a coupé reserved for the member. The surcharge is payable by the Secretary.

2. When a member is accompanied by her/his spouse or companion, a journey by train may be undertaken in a compartment reserved for the couple. The surcharge is payable by the Secretary.

A member, her/his spouse or companion, dependant, parent or parent-in-law may use a single air journey for a single bus journey. Each bus journey is offset against the quota per financial year of air journeys.

(1) If a member or her/his spouse or companion, dependant, parent or parent-in-law travels by motor vehicle, the member is reimbursed for the full cost of the journey via the shortest route, at the AA rate per km, provided it works out cheaper or the same as an air journey between Cape Town and the member’s registered home/constituency base. Each such journey is offset against the quota per financial year of air journeys.

(2) A claim for such a journey must be accompanied by acceptable proof of the journey (for example, petrol slips, tollgate slips or proof of other expenditure in connection with the journey).

(1) A member who commutes daily between her/his place of residence and Cape Town during the period that there are parliamentary sittings, is reimbursed at the AA rate per km for the distance travelled in excess of 30 kilometres return per day.

(2) A member must register her/his place of residence for this facility.

(3) Claims for daily commuting must be submitted within 3 months of the journey. Claims for the period January to March of any year must be submitted before 10 April of that year.

(1) A member is reimbursed for expenditure incurred with regard to travelling by her/him or her/his spouse or companion, dependant, parent or parent-in-law between her/his home base/constituency base or residence and the nearest airport for an air journey referred to in paragraph 1, and between her/his place of residence in Cape Town and Cape Town International Airport, as follows:

(a) If the journey is undertaken by private motor vehicle and the motor vehicle is parked at the airport, at the fixed Government rate per km for the distance between her/his home base/constituency base or place of residence and the nearest airport;

(b) if the journey is undertaken by private motor vehicle to transport the member or her/his spouse or companion, dependant, parent or parent-in-law to the airport, or to fetch such person, at the fixed Government rate per km for the distance between her/his home base/constituency base or place of residence to the nearest airport and back to the home base/constituency base or place of residence; and

(c) the journey is undertaken by public transport or taxi, the actual cost of such journey, provided it is reasonable and competitive.

(2) A member must submit the relevant boarding pass together with any claim for travelling to and from an airport, as well as acceptable proof of the journey (for example, petrol slips, tollgate slips or proof of other expenditure in connection with the journey), for kilometre claims in excess of 400 km.

(3) Claims for travelling to and from airports must be submitted within 3 months. Claims for the period January to March of any year must be submitted before 10 April of that year.

A member is reimbursed for airport parking to a maximum of R1500 per month.

(1) A member may once per financial year transport or drive her/his motor vehicle between her/his home base/constituency base and Cape Town and back at the cost of the Secretary. Such a journey is not offset against her/his quota per financial year of air journeys.

(2) If the vehicle is transported, the member is reimbursed for the actual cost. The claim must be accompanied by an invoice.

(3) If the vehicle is driven, the member is reimbursed at the full AA rate per km for the distance via the shortest route. Acceptable proof of the journey (for example, petrol slips, tollgate slips or proof of other expenditure in connection with the journey) must be submitted.

(4) A member may during the Easter and July recess periods and each intermediate recess of longer than 6 weeks transport her/his motor vehicle from Cape Town to her/his home base/constituency base and back, each such railing to be offset against the member’s quota per financial year of air journeys.

(5) The cost of any additional transportation of a motor vehicle will be offset against a member's quota per financial year of air journeys. If the cost of additional transportation is more than the cost of an air journey over the same distance, the member must pay the extra cost.

(1) A person who has to relocate to the Cape Town area when elected or appointed to Parliament, and a person who is not re-elected or re-appointed after an election and has to relocate to her/his home base, may transport her/his belongings to Cape Town or to her/his home base, whichever is applicable, by─

1. using a Spoornet mini-container at the Secretary’s cost; or
2. making use of a removal company at the Secretary’s cost to a maximum of R15 925.

(2) If a removal company is to be used, three quotations must be submitted. Payment is made directly to the service provider. No money will be paid to a member.

(3) A person who is not re-elected or re-appointed after an election, is entitled to one return flight between her/his home base and Cape Town to enable her/him to pack and make arrangements for the removal of her/his belongings to her/his home base.

(4) Payment for relocation costs, including the return flight referred to in subparagraph (3), will only be considered if a claim is submitted within 3 months of election or appointment or termination of membership, whichever is applicable.

(5) A person who has to relocate to Cape Town on becoming a member for the first time may, instead of making use of the R15 925 relocation facility, choose to be paid an establishment fee of R13 310 with which to purchase household goods. A member with 10 years service who is re-elected or re-appointed is entitled to a further R5 000 for replacement of household goods.

(6) Members will be reimbursed on submission of paid invoices, or the Secretary will pay suppliers directly, on submission of invoices.

The following persons are recognised as a member's dependants for the purposes of travel facilities:

(1) A member's─

(a) child, stepchild, legally adopted child and ward of court; and

(b) grandchild, niece or nephew who permanently resides with the member and is regularly maintained by him/her,

who-

9. is under the age of 18 years,

2. is unmarried,
3. does not receive a regular monthly income, grant or allowance in excess of the amount of the current disability grant.

(2) A member's─

(a) child, stepchild, legally adopted child and ward of court; and

(b) grandchild, niece or nephew who permanently resides with the member and is regularly supported by him/her,

who─

(i) is over the age of 18 years but not over the age of 27 years,

2. is unmarried,
3. is studying full-time at a recognised secondary or tertiary institution;
4. does not receive a regular income, grant or allowance in excess of the amount of the current disability grant; and
5. is recognised by the Speaker: NA or the Chairperson: NCOP, respectively, as a dependant of the member for periods not exceeding 12 months at a time.

(c) The number of dependants of a member in this category is limited to 5. However, the Secretary may on request of a member increase this limit.

(3) A member's─

(a) child, stepchild, legally adopted child and ward of court; and

(b) grandchild, niece or nephew who permanently resides with him/her and is regularly supported by him/her,

who─

(i) is over the age of 18 years,

(ii) owing to mental or physical disability, does not receive a regular income, grant or allowance in excess of the amount of the current disability grant; and

(iii) is recognised by the Speaker: NA or the Chairperson: NCOP, respectively, as a dependant of the member for periods of 12 months at a time.

(1) A member must register the name of her/his spouse or companion, dependant, parent or parent-in-law in a register kept by the Secretary.

(2) A member may register more than one spouse for the purposes of travel facilities.

(3) A member may register only one companion for the purposes of travel facilities.

(4) A member may not register a spouse(s) as well as a companion.

(5) A member must inform the Secretary of any change in the status of a person registered for the purpose of travel facilities that might affect that person's entitlement to the use of travel facilities.

(1) A member's spouse or companion, dependant, parent or parent-in-law is entitled only to the travel facilities specifically allocated as set out above.

(2) If a member registers her/his parent/parent-in-law as a companion, this does not exclude that person from any other specific facilities to which she/he may be entitled in terms of these rules.

(3) A member is required to register a "home base" as well as a "constituency base" for the purposes of travel facilities. An application for the registration of a constituency base must be accompanied by a letter from the Chief/Senior Whip of the Party concerned certifying that a particular area has been allocated to the member, and must also contain the address of the constituency office in that area.

(4) A journey undertaken on a feeder airline service is not counted as one of the quota per financial year of air journeys if it is undertaken to connect with a journey by a national airline service. Such a connecting journey must be undertaken via the most economical route. The Secretary will pay for such a journey and one single air journey may be used for all connecting journeys.

(5) A journey by private motor vehicle, public transport or taxi to an airport, must undertaken via the shortest route. If a longer route is used, a member is reimbursed for the shorter route only.

(6) All reimbursement for travel by motor vehicle, which is refundable at the fixed Government rate, is calculated at the fixed Government rate determined from time to time by the Department of Transport for a car with an engine capacity of 2001-2500 cm^{3 .}

7. All reimbursement for travel by motor vehicle which is refundable at full AA rates, is calculated at the full AA rates determined from time to time by the Automobile Association of South Africa for a 4 cylinder car with an engine capacity of 2000 cm³ costing approximately R140 000 and covering a distance of 30 000 km per year.

(8) Travel facilities for members with disabilities are determined by the Speaker: NA or the Chairperson: NCOP, respectively, on an individual basis, but on guidelines from time to time determined by the Speaker and Chairperson jointly. (separate policy document in draft)

(9) A member may not purchase air tickets for which a reservation has not been made (ie open bookings are not allowed).

(10) Unused air journeys to which a member's dependants, parents or parents-in-law are entitled may not be used by the member or her/his spouse or companion, and may not be transferred or exchanged among such dependants, parents/parents-in-law.

(11) Air journeys to which a member or her/his spouse or companion, dependant, parent or parent-in-law is entitled, may not be carried over from one financial year to the next.

(13) The date of the journey, and not the date of the purchase of an air ticket, determines the financial year to which the air journey is allocated.

(14) Any fees payable in respect of air tickets booked for collection at an airport will be for the account of the member concerned.

(15) A member must, together with any claim, submit proof of expenditure incurred. As proof of a journey undertaken by using a private motor vehicle, petrol slips, tollgate slips or proof of other expenditure in connection with the journey, etc, must be submitted.

(16) Claim forms must be completed in full and signed by the member. One claim form must be handed in for each single or return journey.

(18) For purposes of application of these facilities, where relevant, a leave period and a constituency period are periods designated as such in any financial year by the Joint Programme Committee. A constituency period is a period set aside for members to attend to constituency work.

(1) Members are entitled to the following telephone allocations per month:

Leader of Largest Minority Party R3553-00

Deputy Chief Whip of Majority Party: NA/NCOP R2734-00

Chief Whip of Largest Minority Party: NA/NCOP R2734-00

Chairperson of Committees: NA/NCOP R2734-00

Chairperson of a NA/NCOP Committee R2734-00

Leader of other Minority Parties R2734-00

Senior Whip of Party other than Majority/Largest Minority R2461-00

Deputy Chairperson of Committees: NA/NCOP R2461-00

Parliamentary Counsellor in Office of President R2461-00

Provincial Whip: NCOP R2186-00

Parliamentary Counsellor: Office of Deputy President R2186-00

Whip of a Party in a House R2186-00

All other office bearers and Members of Parliament R1914-00

(2) The following calls made by a member will be offset against her/his telephone allocation on submission of paid accounts:

(a) Residential telephone calls;

(b) calls for the purpose of fax transmissions;

2. calls on a cellular phone registered with the Secretary; and
3. monthly internet subscriptions.

(3) Accounts will be reconciled monthly.

(4) Telephone allocations not used during a month will be carried over to the following month, but not to the next financial year.

(5) Members will not be paid out for unused allocations.

(6) If a member exceeds her/his allocation for a month, including any unused allocations from previous months, any excess cost for Parliament will be recovered from the member’s salary.

(7) Claims for a specific financial year will be reimbursed only if the claims are submitted on or before 10 April of the following year (31 March - end of financial year).

A member is paid a daily allowance, as determined from time to time by the Speaker: NA and the Chairperson: NCOP, for attendance at approved committee meetings while Parliament is not sitting, including a constituency period, or during sittings, at venues other than Cape Town. The member must complete a committee claim form.

An air journey undertaken in order to attend an approved committee meeting is not counted as part of the member's quota per financial year of air journeys. If a member used a single air journey for such a journey, this must be indicated on the committee claim form, and the relevant airways ticket must be attached to the claim form, to enable the Finance Section to reverse the allocation. Original boarding passes must also be attached to the claim form.

A member is reimbursed in accordance with paragraph 7 for any expenditure incurred by her/him for travelling to and from an airport on the way to and from an approved committee meeting.

If a member travels by motor vehicle to attend an approved committee meeting, she/he will be reimbursed at the fixed Government rate per km. If such a journey could have been undertaken more cheaply by air, the member will be compensated for─

(a) one return motor vehicle journey between her/his home base/place of residence and the nearest airport and one return journey between the airport nearest to the venue of the meeting and the venue itself according to the fixed Government rate per km; or

(b) the cost of a single or return air journey, whichever is applicable, by air between the airport nearest to the member's home base/place of residence and the airport nearest to the venue of the meeting.

A member is reimbursed as follows:

Bed and Breakfast: Actual expenses to a maximum of R750 per day.

Meals: Actual expenses to a maximum of R120 per day.

All other extras are for a member's own account.

A member is reimbursed for the actual cost for a Class B motor vehicle provided that it is authorised by the Chairperson of a Committee when the Member is executing Parliamentary activities.

(1) Bookings for catering services may be made only in the name of a member, Minister or Deputy Minister.

(2) Accounts for catering services rendered must be settled immediately.

(3) If a member does not settle an account before the end of the month in which the service was rendered, the full amount will be deducted from the member's next salary.

(4) If a Minister or Deputy Minister does not settle an account before the end of the month in which the service was rendered, the account will be forwarded to the Director-General of the Department concerned for immediate settlement.

(1) Members who are required to visit the provinces on official business must obtain prior authorisation from the Chairperson/Deputy Chairperson: NCOP or the Chairperson of Committees: NCOP before any arrangements are made for air tickets, hotel bookings or other transport.

(2) Bookings must be made through the Transport Unit.

(3) If Members have incurred any expenses relating to using their private vehicle to undertake such a visit, they must within 7 days after returning from the visit, hand their completed claim forms to a staff member of the NCOP Administration, who will send them to the Finance Section.

If any of the facilities in respect of a member or her/his spouse or companion, dependants, parents or parent-in-law, is exceeded, any excess costs for Parliament, the amount of such excess is recovered immediately in one sum, from the member's salary, unless arrangements have been made with the Secretary to pay off the amount.

(1) The Secretary will provide each member with the following items:

(a) one laptop computer;

(b) one printer;

(c) one Internet connection and software;

(d) one medium-sized desk;

(e) one small desk;

(f) one desk-linking unit;

(g) two mobile pedestals;

(h) one upholstered high-back office chair with armrests and [swivel/tilt mechanism] or high-back typist chair with armrests;

(i) two visitor chairs with armrests;

(j) one wooden double-door bookcase with shelves or one wooden double-door stationery cupboard;

(k) one four-drawer steel filing cabinet;

(l) one telephone table with shelve;

(m) two wooden letter trays;

(n) one wooden hat stand;

(o) one wooden/steel waste-paper bin; and

(p) one carpet protector.

(2) The Secretary will, in his or her discretion, in exceptional circumstances, supply a member with additional bookcases/stationery cupboards and filing cabinets.

The Secretary annually supplies each Party, for distribution to their members, with the following maximum quantities of stationery:

(a) Black and white Parliamentary letterheads - 500 sheets per member

(b) Parliamentary envelopes – 500 per member

Members must requisition these letterheads and envelopes from their Parties.

(1) Parliamentary letterheads and envelopes may be used only for letters that deal with Parliamentary business and that are directed and addressed to individuals and are personally signed.

(2) Parliamentary letterheads and envelopes may not be used for letters written with the object of raising funds or taking a collection.

(3) Parliamentary envelopes may be used for greeting cards directed and addressed to individuals, but greeting cards may not be submitted for franking (machine marking of a stamp on an envelope) and dispatch.

(1) A member may submit her/his ordinary official letters to the Chief Service Officer for franking and dispatch.

(2) Parliamentary envelopes containing greeting cards may not be submitted for franking and dispatch.

(3) During a parliamentary session a member will in urgent cases be permitted to dispatch letters by express, certified or registered mail, and printed matter by airmail, at the discretion of the Secretary.

(1) A member is provided with a letterbox in which all internal notices, etc addressed to a member personally is deposited.

(2) Under no circumstances will a member's letters be given to unauthorised persons.

(3) Parcels addressed to members, if too large to be deposited in the letterboxes, are retained in the office of the Chief Service Officer and a notification of their arrival is deposited in the letterbox of the member concerned.

(2) In order to facilitate the dispatch of papers, members may not have parcels made up which exceed 50 kg in weight.

(3) Members may once per financial year carry papers with them as excess weight on an aircraft up to a maximum weight of 50kg for the account of the Secretary. Members must pay for the cost of the excess weight and claim from the Finance Section on production of proof of payment.

The Secretary will provide each party with access to an electronic version of the complete set of statutes.

The Secretary takes out a personal accident insurance policy in respect of all members, which provides cover in the event of─

(a) death;

(b) permanent disability; and

(c) bodily injury or permanent total loss of, or permanent total loss of the use of, limbs or certain sensory organs caused by violent, accidental, external and visible means.

(1) If a member dies whilst away from home, but in the RSA, the Secretary will provide two persons, who must as far as possible be next-of-kin of the deceased member, with a return air ticket each between their home base in the RSA and Cape Town or the place where the death occurred as well as with two nights reasonable accommodation at the place concerned, to take care of the usual arrangements that are required in the case of death.

(2) The Secretary will further pay for the conveying of one motor vehicle belonging to the deceased member from Cape Town or the place where the death occurred, to her/his home base.

(3) The Secretary will further pay for the cost of a mini-container to transport the belongings of the deceased member to her/his home base.

(4) In the event of a registered spouse/companion, dependant, parent or parent-in-law or child dying whilst away from home but in the RSA, the Secretary will provide assistance in accordance with guidelines to be determined by the Presiding Officers.

The Secretary may apply these directives in such a way that they cover particular circumstances or eventualities that are not specifically provided for, but which, in the opinion of the Secretary, fall within the context of the directives. If there is any disagreement between the Secretary and a member about the application of this paragraph, the Secretary must refer the matter for decision to the Speaker: NA or the Chairperson: NCOP, as may be appropriate.

B MBETE, MP M J MAHLANGU, MP

SPEAKER : NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CHAIRPERSON : NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES

Date: Date:

MEMBERS’ FACILITIES – AUG 2001

Amended 21/06/05

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