Madam Deputy Chairperson, thank you very much for the opportunity to present Vote No 2, which is Parliament's budget, for this current financial year.
On 22 April 2009, this year, South Africans participated in the general elections to give Parliament a new mandate. This mandate, which emphasises accelerated quality service delivery, is a continuation of the project of reconstructing and developing our society which began in 1994.
As public representatives we have the responsibility to work towards achieving the vision of building a united, democratic South Africa, and improving the quality of life for all citizens.
In presenting Parliament's budget for the 2009-10 financial year, I would like to reflect in the main on the following: legacy issues; broad challenges for the Fourth Parliament; issues specific to the NCOP; budget allocation; and issues impacting on the budget. Those are the issues I will talk about. I will try to summarise them very quickly because my time is also very short.
Madam Deputy Chairperson, allow me to start by restating the constitutional mandate of Parliament in terms of the NCOP, which is, firstly, to pass legislation that supports the country's constitutional values, human rights and culture; secondly, to oversee the executive and other state organs; and thirdly, to facilitate public participation.
We also have the responsibility to promote co-operative government and participate in international affairs. It is within this context of co- operative governance that the role of the NCOP should find concrete expression. Furthermore, Parliament is an expression of our multiparty democracy. There are legacy issues that I have to touch on that we've covered in the Third Parliament. The Third Parliament has served as a necessary foundation for the Fourth Parliament. I am happy to report on the following as some of the achievements of the Third Parliament: the adoption of the vision of Parliament which puts people at the centre of our work; the finalisation and adoption of the new oversight and accountability model to enhance Parliaments, including the Pan-African Parliament and the Inter- Parliamentary Union; increasing public participation activities; implementing the language policy project, thus elevating the status and use of our official languages in the processes of Parliament; and, lastly, finalising the Financial Management of Parliament Act, the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act and the Mandating Procedures of Provincial Legislatures Act.
This Act came into effect yesterday, 1 July 2009. The President promulgated it yesterday, therefore provinces can begin to use the standardised procedures of sending the mandates to the NCOP.
The challenges that we are facing as this House are the need to move from ordinary oversight to outcomes-based oversight, including accelerating quality service delivery in areas such as education, health, job creation, land reform and agriculture; consolidation of democracy through a people- centred approach; transformation of Parliament in line with our democratic objectives; and nation-building, including building consensus on issues of national interest.
I also want to raise issues specifically relating to the NCOP. The NCOP is a House of our Parliament which represents the interests of provinces. It also provides space for participation by organised local government in the process of shaping the national legislation and policy.
More than ever, during this term, we must co-operate with provinces, especially on functional areas of concurrent national and provincial legislative competences. We also need to ensure that the local government is properly supported and performs its functions as required by the Constitution.
Those are the two spheres which are very critical and very important in our lives. Although we hold the national government accountable, we must ensure that the national government assists those two spheres of government to deliver on the ground.
In the previous financial year's Budget Vote, we raised a number of issues that related to the NCOP, and the following requires our continued focus and attention: improving the effectiveness of the NCOP, informed by the recommendations of the 10th anniversary summit that we held in 2007; completing the process of transforming the NCOP to reflect its character - that's very, very important for us; giving provinces enough space to consider section 76 legislation before the NCOP; and articulating the nature of support required, including the establishment of relationships with other government entities for oversight purposes.
In the last term, we've stated that the process of establishing a working relationship with the office of the Auditor-General has started and it's working very well, because that's what we have to do.
On the other hand, the following are the issues that require new or renewed focus going forward as the NCOP: the centrality of provinces - the Constitution places provinces at the centre of the NCOP. We need to reflect this in the way we conduct our business. This is a constitutional obligation and a strategic issue. It is against this background that we are keenly awaiting the discourse on the future shape of our intergovernmental system, including the future of provinces.
We need to discuss this. The NCOP cannot exist without the provinces because that's a core objective of the Constitution and it is an obligation that we are given by the Constitution to ensure that the provinces are functional. And that's what we are going to do in the coming five years.
Taking Parliament to the People is a flagship programme for our people's participation and our oversight initiative. The outcome of the study on the impact of this programme, which we will present to members in due course, will help us in recasting this programme to ensure that it has the desired impact. You will remember that I promised you last year that we would conduct a study to make this programme better. We have completed that study. The document is now ready and it will be given to all members as a working document on how to improve Taking Parliament to the People.
With regard to committees, there is a need to ensure that committees' business and support are aligned and able to respond to the mandate and priorities of this institution.
With regard to the strategic framework plan, the fourth term presents us with an opportunity to craft and implement a new strategic plan to further the mandate of the NCOP. We are planning a workshop from 5 to 7 August 2009, this year, with all provinces involved. The Chief Whips, the Chair of Chairs, the Speaker - all of you - will be involved in that particular workshop to craft the strategy and way forward for the NCOP for the period of five years.
The NCOP is strategically placed at the cutting edge of co-operative government. We welcome the call by the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs to be partners and to assist the three spheres of government on issues of co-operative governance without, of course, compromising our oversight role.
In terms of the budget, I want to touch on it quickly, for your information, so that you understand how the 2009-10 budget works. The allocation was R1,35 billion for 2009-10 and this includes the direct charge. The direct charge is your salaries. It is also included in this, because it has to come through the budget of Parliament.
Programme 1 has increased, of course, by 3% and we were allocated R247,8 million, that is Administration. Programme 2 - Legislation and Oversight, has grown by 35,6%; Programme 3 - Public Participation, has grown by 12,9%; and in Programme 4 - Members' Facilities, provision is made for facilities, including telephone, travel and other logistical facilities for Members of Parliament.
Programme 5 is Associated Services; this section of the budget allows Parliament to abide by the requirements of section 57(2) of the Constitution to provide assistance to enable political parties represented in the National Assembly to function effectively.
I should, however, point out that the shortfall of R143 million, compounded by the transitional requirement, has come out in the budget. We are short, actually, of R143 million which we should try to get in the 2010-11 budget as we will be dealing with that budget from this month.
The shortfall and the fact that the budget was finalised before the new Parliament means that the total allocation does not fund all our needs for the current financial year. And there has also been a very big cut in the budget. So we've got to be very sparing in funding the operational issues in the NCOP and also in the NA.
However, it is important to note that with the new Financial Management of Parliament Act, we are now better positioned to conclude the budgeting process in a dignified manner. The Act compels the Minister of Finance to consult with the presiding officers - something which was not there in the past - before finalising the allocation for Parliament.
Subjecting Parliament to the same processes of motivating its budget as government departments is inconsistent with the constitutional principle of the separation of powers. Our proposal is that before the money is split amongst national, provincial and local spheres of government, an amount is sliced from the top - and that is what we call top slicing - for statutory and other payments such as the national debt. After government has set aside the top slice, the remaining funds must be shared among the spheres of government.
Issues impacting on the budget and the work of Parliament are the following: the global economic situation - you are aware of the global meltdown; budget cycle; budget baseline; relations with constituencies; and the institutional structural relations. All those issues will definitely impact on the budget. Therefore, we shouldn't complain when it comes because I'm telling you right now that we are definitely going to have a cut in the budget.
With regard to Parliament's strategic planning process, this is the beginning of a new term and Parliament will need to develop a strategic plan which will serve as a guide in the performance of our work in the Fourth Parliament. The strategic planning process will allow us to process a number of issues critical to building a people's Parliament, among them, the recommendations contained in the report of the independent panel assessment of Parliament.
There was an allegation of corruption which has come out in the media about the officials. I need to make a statement on that. I have noted the reports in the media alleging Parliament's failure to deal with allegations of corruption against certain officials. Reference is made to the so-called KPMG report. As a consequence, this House has passed a motion to the effect that immediate action is to be taken against the five people implicated in the report.
I wish to state very clearly, categorically and unequivocally that where allegations of corruption against certain staff members were substantiated, Parliament instituted proper disciplinary processes. So I don't know what it is that they are talking about because we have done that. It is within our power to do that, and we did that long ago - including against the Secretary to this House of the National Council of Provinces.
The disciplinary hearing against the Secretary to the National Council of Provinces has not yet been finalised. I therefore cannot talk about the things that I don't understand because procedure must be followed. There must be transparency. The people must defend themselves against those allegations. Once the report is out, I can come back to this House to report. [Applause.]
There are people who want to set the agenda for the Chairperson of the NCOP to talk about the things that I don't know about. Whether it's the media that sets that agenda or other political parties, they will not set an agenda for the Chairperson that I do not know about. I know what I should do and I know what the NCOP should focus on. [Applause.]
One NCOP official has since been dismissed. It has been sad, you know that. However, the staff member has appealed against the dismissal. Disciplinary proceedings against another official have also not been finalised and are still in the process. In all, three officials in the NCOP have been implicated and the process is going on. With respect to the Secretary to Parliament, Mr Zingile Dingani, he has been cleared on all charges. As such, he is set to resume duty from next week.
In conclusion, Madam Deputy Speaker, thank you very much that I could present this budget to you for consideration. Thank you very much. [Applause.]