Madam Deputy Speaker, the DA has no option but to call for a division on this Vote and make a declaratory statement in this regard.
Besides the fact that the President's first year in office has been somewhat of an annus horribilis, and despite the enormous opportunity that goes with being the host country for the 2010 football World Cup, there have been many - too many - instances that have compromised not only the person of the President, but also the office.
This Vote's allocation has grown systematically over the past few years and the projections for further exponential growth are frankly a matter of grave concern. This budget has grown at an average rate of 45,6% between 2006-07 and 2009-10.
The Presidency has also recently adopted two infants, namely the National Planning Commission and the monitoring and evaluation commission. This in itself - despite the fact that their budgetary allocation is R50 million, which makes up only 7% of the total budget of the Presidency, and the fact that the two commissions have only recently began crawling, literally - demands of this Parliament an appropriate oversight authority to evaluate the performance of these commissions and monitor their expenditure, as with all the other departments.
The balance of this not inconsiderable budget of R677 million is at the disposal of the Presidency. It remains an anathema to me that there has to date not been an oversight authority that has interrogated the expenditure of the Presidency in preceding years, so as to appropriately interrogate the current budget proposals. It is inconceivable that any budget can be passed for any ensuing period without proper accounting for what has previously been appropriated.
It is therefore just not possible to approve this allocation and we will remain constrained in this regard until an appropriate oversight authority or mechanism is established. The DA hereby notes its objection to the Budget Vote No 1 - The Presidency.