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DIRCO & ARF Quarter 3 & 4 2020/21 performance; Update on consequence management
2 Sep 2021
Mr D Bergman (DA) welcomed the Chairperson on behalf of Democratic Alliance and said he is happy with what the Chairperson said; this is an indication of positive change. He has sat on this Committee since 2015 and there has been good cooperation between all parties. All Committee Members have ...
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Update on consequence management cases; DIRCO & ARF Quarter 3&4 2020/21 performance
25 Aug 2021
Mr D Bergman (DA) noted that Members were concerned in 2019 that this Committee did not previously make progress in the previous administration of Parliament. However, it is now clear that the fault lies with the leadership of DIRCO. It is appalling that there is a continued disregard for the ...
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DIRCO’s takeover of custodianship of state owned properties abroad:: DIRCO & DPSA briefing
18 Aug 2021
Mr D Bergman (DA) said the Committee went on a joint oversight visit with the DPWI to Namibia, and on that trip the same issues were highlighted. There was no functional property register, DIRCO was not even sure which of the properties they owned in Namibia, and this was because ...
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DIRCO’s implementation of Audit Plan: briefing by Audit and Risk management committees
18 Aug 2021
Mr D Bergman (DA) said historically DIRCO’s asset register had always been a problem. Movable and immovable assets always seem to be improperly recorded on the register. He said that the data on which DIRCO depends are not very reliable and that the Portfolio Committee cannot trust such data. He ...
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Virtual Oversight with Missions in Germany; Senegal; Botswana & Saudi Arabia
2 Jun 2021
Mr D Bergman (DA) agreed saying the DIRCO head of property management resigned without facing the music. Mr Bergman had been to Bonn properties and when he was there, they were still in good condition. It breaks his heart to see these buildings like this. These were beautiful buildings and ...
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International Relations and Cooperation Budget: Committee Report
19 May 2021
Mr D Bergman (DA) said the report contains everything the Committee asked for which is pretty much what the Department has been asking for every year. The Committee must appreciate that DIRCO is finally on the same side as the Committee. There are still some issues, but these issues need ...
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Virtual oversight on Vacant state owned properties
18 Mar 2021
Mr D Bergman (DA) stated that he was one of the fortunate/unfortunate people that went on the oversight visit that took place three or four years before. He had remarked at the time that the ‘dirtiest thing in Windhoek and Namibia was actually the South African Mission properties.’ That seemed ...
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Virtual oversight on cash missions
17 Mar 2021
Mr D Bergman (DA) said that he kept quiet on this matter because he wanted to the Acting DG to settle in first. He added that he already knew the answers to the questions that were asked on the previous day, and it looks like the Acting DG did not ...
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Relocation of two missions in New York: DIRCO update
16 Mar 2021
Mr D Bergman (DA) noted that there was no mention of the price of the three prospective properties. This would be a useful factor to take into consideration. What was becoming more and more evident, was that when diplomats left the properties there was a trend of leaving a ‘signature ...
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Dr Siphamandla Zondi on trajectory of Biden Administration's foreign policy relations with South Africa and Africa
10 Mar 2021
Mr D Bergman (DA) said it is early to make any fair judgments on the USA. South Africa has not been good partners to the USA and South Africa needs more concessions from the USA. South Africa should be hoping and praying that they get back on AGOA. South Africa ...
