NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO 941
DATE REPLY SUBMITTED: THURSDAY, 15 OCTOBER 2009
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: FRIDAY, 28 AUGUST 2009
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 12 â 2009)
Mr S J Njikelana (ANC) asked the Minister of Transport:
a) How many external legal consultants were used with regard to road
accidents in the
(i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09 financial years and (b) what amount did his
department spend on their services in each case?
NW974E
REPLY:
The Minister of Transport:
a) The Department of Transport (DoT) appoints legal counsels to
represent it in litigious matters. The Minister is usually cited in
cases relating to road accidents when the
constitutionality of the relevant legislation is challenged, or as an
interested party.
(i) In the 2007/2008 financial year, the DoT, through the Department of
Justice and Constitutional Development, briefed four (4) legal counsels and
in the (ii) 2008/2009 financial year, the DoT, through the Department of
Justice and Constitutional Development, briefed seven (7) legal counsels at
a cost of R306 916-00, thus far.
b) The total amount spent on the legal counsels in the 2007/2008
financial year amounted to R882 996-28. However, in some litigation
matters, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has
not yet invoiced the DoT in respect of counselsâ fees. This may be
due to the fact that legal counsels have not yet submitted their
invoices to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
for payment.
The total amount spent on the legal counsels in the 2008/2009 financial
year amounted to R306 916-00, thus far. However, the litigation matters
have not been finalised. It is anticipated that, as the litigation matters
progress to finality, further invoices would be submitted by the Department
of Justice and Constitutional Development to the Department of Transport,
in respect of counselsâ fees.