DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC ENTERPRISES
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 621
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 18 July 2014
Ms N W A Michael (DA) to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises:
(1) How many (a) international and (b) domestic hotel bookings were made
by (i) the (the Ministry/department) (ii) his predecessors and (iii)
departmental officials attending (aa) workshops, (bb) seminars, (cc)
oversight visits or (dd) any other relevant meetings of the relevant
portfolio committee from 1 April 2013 up to the latest specified date for
which information is available;
(2) in respect of each specified booking, what was the (a) date, (b) name
of the hotel, (c) number of delegates, (d) cost of the hotel booking for
each delegate and (e) the nature of the relevant portfolio business dealt
with?
Response:
Members of the Executive, by the very nature of their ministerial work are
required to travel. Ministers and Deputy Ministers may choose to occupy a
state-owned residence in the area, in which their seat of office resides.
However, ministerial work is not limited to seats of office and their
duties require them to visit provinces around the country and travel abroad
in order to fulfill their duties, which include among others, interaction
with communities and stakeholders in the course of delivering on their
mandates. In these instances, Ministers and Deputy Ministers are
accommodated in hotels or guest houses, when fulfilling official duty away
from their ordinary place of residence, befitting their office requirements
and as outlined in the relevant policies. Equally the departmental
officials on an annual basis submit their Annual Performance Plans to their
respective Portfolio Committee. Some of these plans require the officials
to travel to effect the relevant actions.
The 2013/14 financial year for which the information is required, has just
been audited. It will be presented to Parliament and published for the
general public. The honourable members will be able to obtain this
information through the progress reported to be presented by the relevant
officials against their pre-approved operational plans.
It also important to highlight that the department has approved service
providers and guidelines for the procurement of accommodation. These were
further adjusted to align them with National Treasury Instruction Note 01
of 2013/14 on cost Containment Measures.