Committee Programme: adoption & Committee Report on First Quarter Expenditure: discussion
JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE
14 September 2007
COMMITTEE PROGRAMME: ADOPTION & COMMITTEE
REPORT ON FIRST QUARTER EXPENDITURE: DISCUSSION
Co-Chairpersons: Ms L Mabe (ANC)
Mr B Mkhaliphi (ANC,
Mpumalanga )
Documents handed out:
Draft Committee Expenditure
Report – First Quarter 2007/2008
Joint Budget
Committee: Draft Programme First Term 2008
Joint Budget
Committee Draft Programme Fourth Term
Audio
recording of meeting
SUMMARY:
The Committee considered its Fourth Term Programme and adopted it, with
amendments. The Committee continued its deliberations on the First
Quarter Expenditure Report, highlighting government departments that
failed to provide proper service delivery. Deliberations on the Report would
continue in the Fourth Term of Parliament.
MINUTES:
Draft Committee Fourth Term Programme
Ms Mabe highlighted the need to work within a set
time frame.
The Committee discussed the Draft Programme and effected minor technical amendments..
The Draft Programme was adopted by the Committee.
First Quarter Expenditure Report
Ms Mabe praised Mr Khaya,
the new Parliamentary Researcher, for the Report he had compiled. She added adding
that it was the first time in years that a good quality Report had been
compiled.
Mr Mkhaliphi indicated that the comments,
recommendations and other input included in the Report was a consolidation of its
work on the Report over the past two financial years. He proceeded
to highlighted performances of particular government departments in the past
two financial years.
Ms R Mashigo (ANC) singled out service delivery to
the general public as being the main concern, as their seemed to be a
disjuncture between actual service delivery and government’s policies.
Mr Mkhaliphi said it was the responsibility of the Committee
to firmly comment on those government departments that were guilty of such
disjuncture.
Mr S Dithebe (ANC) warned against the impact of those
government departments that had concurrent functions, such as the Department of
Water Affairs and Forestry. That department was unable to meet its commitment
to eradicate the bucket system within a specified time frame. He was of the
opinion that that failure to deliver was due to the fact that that department
had concurrent functions.
The Committee Secretary, Mr Perran Hahndiek, pointed out that although the Committee was not a
policy-making Committee, it must nevertheless be able to make observations as
well as recommendations on the Report.
The meeting was adjourned.
