DSAC BRRR; First Term Committee Programme

Meeting report

Opening remarks

The Chairperson welcomed everyone present with a heavy heart and tone as a result of the recent passing of Ms Thozama Mantashe, a Member of Parliament from the African National Congress. She conveyed her heartfelt condolences to all South Africans who were mourning the death of their loved ones due to Covid-19.

She urged South Africans to drink responsibly as the President eased the adjusted Level Three restrictions and lifted the ban of alcohol sales. She was pleased that Members of the Committee were back and were still together.

Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report (BRRR)

Sports and Recreation component

Mr Solomon Mthombeni, Committee Researcher, took Members through the Sports and Recreation component of the BRRR. He touched on various key features of the Report from the White Paper on Sport and Recreation (2011); the National Sport and Recreation Plan, Vision 2020; and the Transformation Charter.

He went on to summarise the previous key financial and non-financial performance recommendations of the Portfolio Committee.  (Refer to the report on the details of the Budgetary Review and Recommendations).

The Chairperson proposed that the Members deal with the presented report before getting into the Arts and Culture report, because the reports had been prepared separately.

Mr N Seabi (ANC) was pleased with the report. However, there were minor grammatical errors that needed to be rectified. He proposed the adoption of the report.

Ms V Malomane (ANC) supported Mr Seabi’s proposal for the adoption of the report.

The Chairperson indicated that she had no problems with the report, but she was concerned about the presentation of Boxing South Africa. In previous engagements, it had been decided that the Committee would not ask the Department to grant the entity more money due to the ongoing issues in the entity. Her concern was that in the report, the opening remark on this entity stated that the Committee pleaded with the Department to grant it more money. This was not the case, as Members had agreed that supporting Boxing SA for more funding would be done only once the entity had resolved the issues that had been presented to it by the Committee.

She asked that the remark be changed, because it was not a true reflection of the Committee’s stance.

She also supported the adoption of the report.

Ms V van Dyk (DA) said that the Democratic Alliance reserved its position on the report.

The Report was adopted with the proposed changes.

Arts and Culture component

Ms Fiona Clayton, Committee Researcher, took the Members through the report and touched on matters such as the revised White Paper; the South African Public Library and Information Services (SAPLIS) Bill; the summary of the previous key financial and non-financial performance recommendations of the Committee; the Budget Vote; and irregular, wasteful and unauthorised expenditure incurred in the 2019/20 financial year.

(Refer to the report for details on the Budgetary Review and Recommendations).

Mr T Mhlongo (DA) suggested that in the recommendations, there should be a rapid audit of the Relief Fund related to Covid-19.

Mr Seabi seconded this suggestion.

In response to the suggestion, the Chairperson said that last week it had been promised that information would be emailed to her and forwarded to the Members. The response from the Deputy Minister had been that the Covid-19 funding would be for the next financial year. However, there were gaps in the current financial year due to Covid-19, but there were reports regarding the funds that were utilised in the current financial year.

Members asked that while the merging of the departments had not yet occurred, the staff must present information as one Department. Although, the Department would be officially merged in April, the reports had significant differences. Despite the departments being separate, the Committee had asked for collaboration of the work.

Members agreed to adopt the report with the proposed recommendation.

Mr Mhlongo asked the Chairperson to note the reservation of the Democratic Alliance on the report.

Mr D Joseph (DA) commented on the statement about the merging of the departments, and said that between now and April, this Committee had to report on the action plan and the timelines on when the merging, structure, new budget, staff placements, etc. would be done. These were some of the matters that had to be furnished to the Committee. A report on the final stages of the merger covering all these aspects must be provided to the Committee.

The Chairperson supported Mr Joseph’s comments.

Committee Programme 

Mr Ajabulile Mtiya, Committee Secretary, took Members through the programme.

The programme was fairly detailed, and Members agreed that substantive changes would be implemented at the Committee’s next meeting, because by then they would have had an opportunity to see which entities and briefings could be grouped together to accommodate others.

In the meantime, Members agreed to adopt the programme for now, and any substantive changes that came up in the next meeting would be entertained then.

Outstanding minutes

The Committee considered and adopted outstanding Committee minutes dated 23 and 30 October 2020.

The meeting was adjourned.