Deputy Speaker, the ANC supports the report of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation. The department has tabled the Foreign Service Bill during the 2015-16 financial year, for processing by Parliament.
The Bill is aimed, amongst others, the establishment of a single foreign service for the Republic of South Africa; and for the administration and functioning of the Foreign
Service, and for the establishment of the mechanisms that enhance the execution of international relations.
The Foreign Service Bill 2015 was adopted by the National Assembly in November 2018 and was considered by the NCOP in February 2019. The committee wishes to finalise the process on the Bill before recess in December. On the Auditor General's audit outcomes, the committee has recommended that the department deal serial recurring issues raised in the auditor's general report, especially on supply chain, cash and cash equivalence, ICT systems, asset management, consequence management and compliance with rules and legislation.
The cash based mission needs to be closely monitored and capacitated with officials with the requisite skills on financial management. Investigations should be taken to establish whether there was any wrongdoing on cash equivalence and this includes the New York project which the committee resolved that urgent intervention by the department and the committee must take place as a matter of urgency.
The committee has recommended further that the oversight model in Parliament should be applied in a sympathetic manner with regard to the unique mandate of oversight on international relations. The execution of South Africa's foreign policies, largely in the South African missions abroad, Parliament's focus for the sixth Parliament, is robust oversight hence this challenge needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. The ANC supports this report once again. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Question put.
Motion agreed to (Economic Freedom Fighters dissenting).
Report accordingly adopted.