Committee Report on Department of Public Works Budget

Meeting report

The Chairerson commented that the aim of the meeting was to review and adopt the Annual Performance Plan, Strategic Plan and Budget Vote of the Department of Public Works.

Committee Report on Department of Public Works Budget Vote 11

The Chairperson tabled the document for consideration. He indicated that the Committee would go through the document page-by-page and give their input where necessary.

Mr K Sithole (IFP) commented that the number of employed people should be stated (on page two).

Ms P Adams (ANC) commented that “trading” should be added to bullet point two on page three.

Mr K Mubu (DA) commented that the Committee should know the total number of audited and unaudited immovable assets that the Department had been able to establish.

The Chairperson said that was best addressed by asking for the status report of government assets that included immovable assets. The current state of the asset register would cover the regular report on the issue that was an ongoing report.

Mr Sithole asked why the Department was conducting oversight, as it should be done by the Committee.

The Chairperson replied that wherever the department disbursed funds, it had to do oversight to ensure that money was used for the concurrent function.

Mr M Filtane (UDM) asked if the leases with legal issues had been fully resolved in order to avoid the House from asking the Committee about leases that were not compliant.

The Chairperson replied that the department had been engaged on the importance of sorting out the audit of the respective leases, as it was the responsibility of the department to give the report on leases.

Mr Filtane commented that it would be helpful to have a timeline for the department to commit itself to the organisational structure review.

Mr Filtane said the department should be questioned on the security of houses at the parliamentary villages as there had been incidents where people broke into houses of Members.

The Chairperson commented that Members who stayed in Legislative parts should raise the issues and those responsible for lack of security should answer for that.

The Content Adviser suggested that bullet point 3.7 should be in the recommendations.

Recommendations:
Mr Mubu recommended that the Committee be updated on the asset register.

The Chairperson replied that it would be included in the Committee’s report and recommendation.

Mr Filtane proposed that whenever an entity of the Department was involved in the construction of a building it should look at the social perspective of the building.

The Chairperson replied that there was a social law that demanded that certain principles were put in place. The Committee had the responsibility to enforce the implementation of these laws.

The report was unanimously adopted with amendments.

Mr Sithole suggested that all acronyms be listed at the back of the report.

Mr Filtane commented that as a Portfolio Committee they were meant to reflect on the employment created so far by Public Works as a responsibility to the public.

The Chairperson replied that the issue be raised at the budget speech the next day.

Mr S Masango (DA) commented that the Council for the Buil Environment (CBE) had not presented to the Committee on transformation so the Committee had to ensure that the Entity gave account urgently.

The Chairperson replied that it was important for CBE to present to the Committee and explained that the Committee was unable to meet with them the day they were scheduled to present due to eruptions within the organisation. The CEO was suspended by the Board a day before they were to present to the Committee so there was no one to give the Management report for the Entity. The entity would be invited to give account at the right time after the Committee had done a local inspection.

The meeting was adjourned.