Chairperson, hon Ntwanambi and hon members, as hon members should know, a task team has been established by Cabinet, comprising Ministers Gordhan, Chabane and Baloyi, to investigate and identify areas where wastage and inefficient spending by government can be reduced and to present these recommendations to Cabinet. This task team has very difficult terms of reference because it must propose cost-cutting measures or savings that will not impact negatively on the economy's ability to grow and create jobs or on service delivery.
The main considerations for this cost-cutting exercise are: One, reprioritising; two, reducing wastage and inefficiency; three, eliminating corruption; and four, getting more value for each public rand spent. The task team has submitted a preliminary report to Cabinet but their work is continuing.
In general, unnecessary extras have been reduced. Specific actions and policies related to the items identified by the hon member, namely, air and ground travel, accommodation, housing, etc, will be identified in the context of this entire exercise. We are, for example, eliminating unnecessary catering; reducing official delegations to the bare minimum required; travel to Cape Town, except for top officials, and to the rest of South Africa is in economy class; and, where possible, officials seek accommodation in reasonably priced hotels.
Going forward, the task team has identified other longer-term saving possibilities, for example, revising the Ministerial handbook and other possibly wasteful and low-impact policies; and reprioritising expenditure to programmes that yield greater benefits.
The task team will continue to scrutinise departmental budgets with the aim of identifying and eliminating wastage, leakages and corruption, including the type of corruption that makes government pay more than they should for goods and services. To effect this, an interdepartmental working group has been established to strengthen compliance with the Public Finance Management Act, PFMA, as well as preventing fraud and corruption in the procurement process. There will be no sacred cows. If we need to look at the location of Parliament, we will certainly look at that as well. I thank you.
Chairperson, I would like to know if the hon Deputy President would agree with me, firstly, that Gauteng is the neighbour to almost seven provinces; secondly, that if Parliament were to be relocated to Gauteng there would be a reduction in wastage that would lead to cost- cutting; and thirdly, the Houses of Parliament would be much closer to that of the executive and, as a result, there would be enormous savings of resources to the fiscus for delivery.
I'm not too sure whether the question has got anything to do with Parliament moving to Gauteng. I think you've been taking a very big chance. [Laughter.] Deputy President, I don't think that's a follow-up question, but my general thinking is that I should not deprive the executive of an opportunity to answer if they wish to do so.
Chairperson, it really sounds like a lobby for Gauteng. [Laughter.] Thank you.
Chair, Deputy President, I would just like to ask the Deputy President whether the scope of the task team which has the task of rooting out wasteful and inefficient expenditure will extend to the R3,6 million spent per year by the government on security for the ANC Youth League president, and the R50 million spent so far this year on flashy cars for Ministers.
I am also not too sure whether or not that really is a follow-up question, Mr Harris. The general question is about the task team investigating wasteful expenditure. I don't know why you should get into the specifics.
I'm asking about the specific scope of the task team's work.
Chairperson, as I said, there will be no sacred cows. The intention, the terms of reference, is that they should look at the whole range of wastage and leakages arising from procurement matters right through to the provisions of the Ministerial handbook with regard to benefits of public office bearers. So it will cover the whole spectrum. Thank you.
Chairperson, hon Deputy President, forgive me if you have already answered this question, but we are talking about current expenditure. Does the mandate of this commission - I think you called it a commission, forgive me if I've got that wrong too - include the capital costs of a possible relocation to a province like KwaZulu-Natal, which would probably be the best one? [Laughter.]
No, that's not a follow-up question. Is there any other follow-up question?
Chairperson, my follow-up question is whether or not the task team would consider the constitutional imperatives of the separation of powers of the executive, the judiciary and the legislature. Also, will the history and/or heritage be considered when dealing with this matter?
Which matter specifically? I didn't get the specifics of the question. I don't know whether it relates to the location of Parliament or not.
Are you repeating the question about the location of Parliament again? But I have ruled that out. If you are referring to that, I'm ruling that out. Can we have the last follow-up question on this matter none? We proceed to Question 11, put by hon Ntwanambi to the Deputy President.
Reconsideration of number of members of NCOP and provincial legislatures
11. Ms N D Ntwanambi (ANC) asked the Deputy President:
(1) Whether the government or any structure of government is currently holding discussions to reconsider the number of members of the National Council of Provinces, NCOP, or any provincial legislature with the possibility of increasing them; if so, what are the relevant details; if not (2) whether, in light of the renewed emphasis on enhancing governance in the provinces, particularly at the local government level, the government will consider proposals to enhance the role and number of members of the NCOP and/or provincial legislatures; if not, why not, if so, what are the relevant details? CO234E
Chairperson and hon members, there is no discussion by government to reconsider the number of members of the NCOP or any provincial legislature with a view to increasing the number of members. A discussion of that kind will have to involve various institutions of state beyond government and will also have to involve the broader society. Parliament in general and the NCOP in particular will have to play a leading role in such a discussion.
Government is currently finalising a policy review of provincial and local government. While Cabinet has not yet received a formal report on this work, the review is expected to reflect on key governance lessons of the past 15 years as they relate to the role and performance of provincial and local government and the implications of these lessons.
It is quite possible that issues related to the role and size of provincial legislatures may emerge from the review that may indeed have an impact on the NCOP. However, this policy review will need to be discussed thoroughly by Parliament itself. I thank you.
Position regarding government officials and/or public servants having companies building government-provided houses
12. Ms M C Dikgale (ANC) asked the Deputy President:
(1) Whether the government has information regarding government officials and/or public servants who have companies that are currently building government-provided houses for communities; if so,
(2) whether those government officials and/or public servants were all authorised by the government to build the houses; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, how many of those government officials and/or public servants are employed in the national and provincial departments responsible for Human Settlements;
(3) whether he will consider requesting the relevant Members of the Executive Councils, MECs, or the Minister to launch an investigation into the matter and forward a report to the NCOP; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?