International Relations and Cooperation Budget: Committee Report; with Deputy Ministers

Meeting report

Meeting Agenda

Rev K Meshoe (ACDP) asked whether he could pose a question before the meeting begins: he since DG Mohoai was suspended, the Committee has been asking why he was suspended but had not received an answer. The Committee has the right to know why the DG was suspended and when the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and Minister will answer.

The Chairperson said she had not yet declared the meeting open, and it was uncalled for. She asked if the agenda could be adopted so she could open the Meeting.

The meeting agenda was adopted.

Opening Remarks

The Chairperson welcomed everyone and thanked both Deputy Ministers for attending today’s meeting. She said the report presents an opportunity for the Committee to express its views on DIRCO’s planned performance targets and give recommendations for the Department to consider and implement. The draft report is a reflection of what transpired when DIRCO briefed the Committee. The report contains the mandates of both DIRCO and the Portfolio Committee and linkages between the mandates of DIRCO and goals within the National Development Plan, which can be used as an overarching mandate for service delivery by individual departments.

She said the draft report contains plans and policy initiatives over the medium term by DIRCO, the three initiatives are:

- Revival of the Partnership for Development Bill which will pave the way for migration to SAPA

-Review of DIRCO’s organisational structure, which the Committee hopes will be in line with the Foreign Services Act 

-Reduction of missions which will reduce cost

She said through looking at DIRCO’s performance, it is clear COVID-19 had an effect on how foreign affairs are conducted due to travel restrictions.

The Chairperson commented on DIRCO’s responses in the report. She said after the resignation of Ms Africa (Chief Director: Property Management), DIRCO requested a secondment from National Treasury for someone with experience within the build environment. The Committee has been asking DIRCO for a long time to separate finance and property management. She said it “amazes” her that DIRCO would seek a secondment from Treasury instead of approaching the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure for expertise. She said the Committee should not change its recommendations on this matter.

Report of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation on Budget Vote 6: International Relations and Cooperation

The Committee’s Content Advisor took Members through the report.

The Chairperson asked if Members would like to engage with the report

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 to be addressed at an Executive level. The Committee still needs to observe which missions will be closed and how that will be handled. There has been some misalignment between DIRCO and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) which delays some services at embassies and gives DIRCO a bad name meanwhile the problem lies with DHA. There needs to be a joint meeting between the Committee and Home Affairs on the issue of diplomatic bags. COVID-19 should serve as an example and help DIRCO decided which bodies to belong to and which memberships to discontinue. The pandemic showed which bodies can be well utilised and which proved obsolete. He said the issue of “Hollywood” needs to come to an end as DIRCO cannot have all senior officials in acting positions. He could not say whether the DA would support the report – he would have to consult the caucus first.

Ms T Msane (EFF) asked that the names of the 11 missions be included in the report. She said the Committee has been raising the issue of the embassy in Israel and asked why this mission has not been closed – the Committee should request a report on this from the Minister. She said each year, the Committee adopts budgets to allow the Department to execute its mandate. These goals are not forced upon DIRCO by the Committee, but it is the Department which set these goals for itself. However, DIRCO has never met these goals to such an extent that a decision was made by the Committee to send the Department to appear before Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) and that recommendation should remain.

Mr T Mpanza (ANC) said it is within the Committee’s right to criticise DIRCO for not meeting its performance targets, but the Committee needs to be honest in its assessment and credit must be given when its due. There are some operational issues, but most political issues have been addressed. There is still room to improve but DIRCO has been trying its level best and that should be put on record. He said the report must clearly state the success the Department had in executing its political mandate.

Rev Meshoe said he would like to revert back to his earlier question – he said the Committee was informed the DG’s suspension was linked to the property report in New York but the Committee needed to find out how this was possible as Mr Mahoai was not the DG at the time the New York property saga transpired. He asked if the Chairperson could write to the Minister to provide clarity and whether the previous letter was received by the President and Minister if so, what their responses were.

The Chairperson said the Committee is still awaiting a response from the Minister and President and this matter will be dealt with in the next Committee meeting. She said recommendations suggested today will be included in the report and an edited version will be send to Members. She said some of the matters raised were not relevant to the meeting and the budget vote report. She said the process of referring DIRCO to SCOPA should start immediately.

Ms Msane asked that it be noted the EFF rejected the report.

Mr Bergman said the DA will abstain from this vote.

The report was adopted.

The meeting was adjourned.