MINUTES OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS
NO 01 (2006)
DATE: 02 FEBRUARY 2006
VENUE: E249, SECOND FLOOR, NEW WING
TIME: 09H00 - 13H00
PRESENT
AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
Mr P J A Gerber
Mr D M Gumede
Mr D K Maluleke
Ms L Mashiane
Mr T R Mofokeng
Mr R S Ndou
Mr V G Smith
DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE
Ms A Dreyer
Mr E W Trent
INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY
Mr H J Bekker
PAN AFRICANIST CONGRESS OF AZANIA
Mr N T Godi (Chairperson)
UNITED DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT
UNITED CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Mr B E Pule
SECRETARIAT
Ms N Madide
Mr G Dixon
PARLIAMENTARY RESEARCHER
Mr L Zepe
PARLIAMENTARY LEGAL ADVISER
Mr D Ramurunzi
OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL
The Auditor-General: Mr S Fakie
Deputy Auditor-General: Mr T Nombembe
Corporate Executive: Ms N Manik
Corporate Executive: Mr S Cele
Business Executive – Relationship Management: Mr P Mosaka
Senior Manager: Mr C Botes
Committee Adviser: Ms Z Mene
Committee Adviser: Ms N Hlasa
OPENING AND WELCOME
The Chairperson welcomed the members back from recess. Looking forward he mentioned that the impending elections has divided the attention of members but that he hoped members will step up to the challenge and conclude the business of SCOPA timeously.
APOLOGIES
None
AGENDA
Item two moves to the end of the programme
Minutes adopted: Mr E Trent moves and Mr P Gerber seconds
The Chair reported that the letter requesting parliament to halt the auctioning of parliamentary furniture was sent and that the Speaker and the Secretary of Parliament has responded.
The Speaker has indicated that the letter will be referred to the Parliamentary Oversight Authority (POA) as the structure that deals with operational issues.
The Secretary to parliament indicated that parliament was in the process of refurbishment.
This will result in a stockpile of furniture that Parliament cannot store due to limited space. The Secretary is requesting the Committee to clarify the issue as soon as possible.
The R25 200,00 outstanding training fee was resubmitted for approval and the Committee is waiting on a response.
The Committee agreed to discuss this issue at its next meeting.
The Group tabled the following draft resolutions:
The Group tabled the following categorisation:
Category A (Hearings)
The Group tabled the following categorisation:
Category A (Hearing)
Category B (Questions)
Involvement of PC in SCOPA
The group discussed the need to involve the Portfolio Committees in the findings of SCOPA and agreed to invite them to the briefings and SCOPA hearings.
Resolutions
The Group suspended the resolutions pending the assessment of the new Annual Reports.
Questions sent to Departments
The Committee requires the Category B questions sent as soon as possible and agreed that the Secretariat must follow-up on the previous questions and correspondence sent to Departments.
The Committee noted the Constituency period scheduled for 20 February 2006 to 03 March 2006.
Amendments:
The planning meetings have been shifted to Wednesdays after the plenary meeting.
Group discussion:
Programme adopted
4 (a) Annual Report 2005, Draft Business Plan 2006/07 and Draft Budget 2006/07 of SCOPA
Not all of the members received the required documentation. The Chairperson apologised for this and the Committee agreed to discuss the issues at its next meeting.
4 (b) Letter from the DA re: The Deputy -President
The letter from Mr Gareth Morgan, MP [DA], which was requesting SCOPA to investigate whether certain provisions of the PFMA were not transgressed in the trip by the Deputy-President Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was tabled
After lengthy debates the choice before the Committee was whether to request the Auditor-General to investigate and report to the Committee in three weeks or to allow the AG to report on it in the normal course of his annual reports on departments.
In view of the fact that the Committee couldn’t reach consensus; the Chairperson was requested to make a ruling.
He ruled that the AG be allowed to report on it in the normal course of his annual reports. The issue was thus disposed of.
5. Auditor-General’s General Report on Audit Outcomes
The Auditor-General presented his General Report to the Committee. (SEE Transcript for detailed presentation)
6. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 12h45.
Chairperson: Mr T Godi Date: