Deputy Speaker, last week the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises was briefed on the latest SA Airways turnaround strategy. While appreciative that the plan was brought to Parliament, it was concerning that critical information was not provided, which included the following: how much the turnaround will cost; will it result in job losses; plans on cutting and introducing routes; whether SA Express, SA Airways and Mango Airlines would be merging or not.
Following a statement I released regarding my concerns, Mr Mayihlone Tshwete tweeted, and I quote: "But all these areas were presented in the portfolio committee".
However, the next day, the chief executive officer, Monwabisi Kalawe, was reported stating that details on routes, recapitalisation, a timeframe for the return to profits and company mergers could not yet be provided. When asked why this information was not supplied, he replied: "We are not deliberately keeping information from this committee, we are respecting protocol."
I ask this House today, what protocol? It is protocol that portfolio committees are given all information that they require to exercise their constitutional mandate to oversight, including plans with costing and timeframes against which performance can be measured? Let us not allow fairytale protocols to dictate on the mandate given to us by the people of South Africa. [Applause.]