Postponed: Operation Phakisa: monitoring report, deliverables and impact on job creation

Public Service and Administration

15 March 2023
Chairperson: Mr T James (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

Video

The meeting was postponed because Members were aggrieved that the Department of Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) submitted the presentation late the night before. It was argued that this did not allow Members to confer with their political principals on the matters. Members also lamented that this was not the first time DPME had done this and the Committee now needed to “put its foot down”. Members were displeased with the absence of the Executive and resolved to harshly write to the Ministry on the matter. Members said the DPME must change how it does things in 2023. 

Meeting report

The Chairperson requested not to put on his video as he is subject to loadshedding. The Chairperson welcomed everyone and said they had three apologies for absences. He said the meeting was not going to go ahead. The reason is that the Committee received the presentation late last night from the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME). Receiving documentation at that time denies the Committee Members to seek a mandate from their political principals. The Chairperson said the Committee could not engage with anything without direction from its political principals. He said he was terminating the meeting because this is not the first time the DPME has done this. He asked for comments from Members.  

Ms T Mgweba (ANC) supported the Chairperson. She said it is not the first time that the DPME has been requested to meet with the Committee and disappointed them. The Committee has postponed meetings in the past because the Department did not submit presentations on time. This happened twice just before the end of 2022 and is happening again in 2023.

Ms Mgweba said that as a Committee, they must write a letter to the Ministry. In particular to the Minister and Deputy Minister. It is very difficult when documents are given to Members the day or night before a meeting. The DPME must change how it does things in 2023. This issue has been raised before in this Committee by the Members. She noted that the Minister is not in the meeting, and this does not sit well with the Committee. Ms Mgweba did not know how the Department is accountable to the Committee if they send documents the night before. It must be emphasised to the Department and a harsh letter must be sent to the Ministry. The Committee must be taken seriously.

Mr J McGluwa (DA) said he fully supported the Chairperson. They also need to address the attendance of the Minister. They are cognisant of the fact that there is a new Minister, but this is a complete disgrace. It is unacceptable that a former Minister was absent from these Committee meetings when they are the first person who should be responsible and accountable in such meetings. This should be taken up with the ministers in the form of a letter to highlight concerns and indicate the experiences the Committee has had in the past. If the Minister cannot attend, they must send the Deputy Minster.

The Chairperson repeated that he was terminating the meeting today. This is based on the fact the Members of the Committee received presentations only last night. When Members receive documents the night before, they are denied the opportunity, as members from different political parties, to take these reports to their political principals and receive a mandate. The Chairperson said it was not the first time the DPME treated the Committee with disdain. The Committee is now putting its foot down and saying: “it ends here now”. He said he would do exactly as Members had instructed and write a letter to the Ministry.

The meeting is adjourned.     

 

 

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