NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 610/ NW693E
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES:
Mr T J Brauteseth (DA) to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries:
QUESTION
(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? NW693E
REPLY
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 guesthouses, when fulfilling official duty away
from their ordinary place of residence, befitting their office requirements
and as outlined in the relevant policies.
The 2013/14 year is currently being audited and will be available in the
Annual Report. Information regarding the 2014/2015 financial year will
also be audited and made available to the public at the relevant time