Joint Meeting of Water and Sanitation Committee and Scopa Draft Terms of Reference for Establishment of Commission of Inquiry into Functioning of Department of Water and Sanitation

Press Releases

Parliament, Wednesday, 14 March 2018 – A joint committee of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation and the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) met today to implement the resolution of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation in its Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR). The resolution called for a commission of inquiry to deal with aspects of the work of the Department of Water and Sanitation. The report was adopted by the National Assembly in November 2017. In a hearing with the department on 27 February 2018, Scopa requested to be part of the Commission of Inquiry.

The joint committee has agreed that there will be a joint commission of inquiry of both the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation and Scopa. The joint committee has also agreed on the need to identify focus areas that will stem from various sources, such as the Auditor-General (A-G), National Treasury, the BRRR, Scopa reports and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report, amongst others.

There is also agreement to set clear timeframes for the process of the inquiry, so that there is effective consequence management after this process. The co-chairpersons will engage the A-G, National Treasury and the SIU to ascertain the age analysis of the findings and also on the finances. The process of the scope of the inquiry will be determined after the engagement with the A-G, National Treasury and the SIU.

The joint committee has also agreed to have a public participation process that will request submissions from members of the public to add value to the inquiry. The joint committee has agreed that there is a need for an evidence leader in this process. It has been agreed that a process of law enforcement must work in parallel with the inquiry where there are any illegal transgressions.

ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE OF WATER AND SANITATION, MR LULU JOHNSON, AND THE CHAIRPERSON OF SCOPA, MR THEMBA GODI 

For media inquiries or interviews with the Chairpersons, please contact the Media Officer:

Name: Ms Faith Ndenze
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8062
Cell: 081 377 0686
Email: fndenze@parliament.gov.za