Parliament, Wednesday, 06 June 2018 – The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) is concerned about the losses suffered by the state as a result of procurement through deviations and expansion of contracts by some government departments and entities, without the approval of National Treasury.
Today Scopa met with the Department of Water and Sanitation and its entity the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority to discuss the concerns that were raised in a report of the National Treasury.
“Our lamentation about the department and its entities is about the weakness and absence of leadership and our call is that all these matters must be investigated so that responsible people should be held accountable,” said Scopa Chairperson Mr Themba Godi.
Scopa wants to know why the department continued with deviations that were not approved by National Treasury.
“If you ask for permission and it is declined, and you still go ahead nonetheless, what is the point of asking for permission in the first place”, Mr Godi asked the department.
He said deviations and expansions without approval from Treasury, were very serious in the government that’s why Scopa has taken it up and reached an agreement that National Treasury will be reporting to the Committee quarterly on the matter.
As a result of the National Treasury report Scopa will be calling some departments to discuss these matters. Tomorrow the Department of Public Works and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) are expected to appear before Scopa on the same matters.
Details of tomorrow’s meeting are as follows:
Date: 7 June 2018
Venue: E249
Time: 09h00
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS, MR THEMBA GODI
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Name: Sakhile Mokoena
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 2804
Cell: 081 705 2130
E-mail: smokoena@parliament.gov.za
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