Parliament, Wednesday, 10 May 2017 – The Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology today heard the Department of Science and Technology present the Annual Performance Plan for 2017/18. The Committee commends the Department for reducing the administration budget and notes that 92% of the departmental budget goes to its entities.
A budget cut from the previous year has had an effect on the targets set by the department, which although reduced can be seen as the department “doing more with less”. The Department has assured the Committee that budget cuts will have a minimal impact on the work of the entities with regard to employment and human capital. The Committee notes that there is a moratorium on vacancies, which are capped at 10% for the year ahead. It is hoped that the 42 vacancies do not have an adverse effect on the department’s operations.
Of concern is overlapping functions between entities and it is hoped that when they meet quarterly the Chief Executive Officers will review their operations in line with what is required by Science and Technology, streamline to eliminate a duplication of efforts and thus endeavour to save more.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Ms Lindiwe Maseko, said that although the Department has to do more with less, she is pleased that the number of South African students accepted into international training programmes offering a post-graduate qualification as part of cooperation initiatives is at 350, which is a high number compared to the previous year. This shows the Department’s commitment to be a leader in the science and technology international arena.
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MS LINDIWE MASEKO
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