The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) as we speak determined unanimously to adjourn a listening to on the Nationwide Abilities Fund (NSF) and the Nationwide College students Monetary Help Scheme (NSFAS). That is as a result of late and unjustifiable withdrawal from the assembly of the Deputy Minister of Greater Training and Coaching, Mr Buti Manamela, who selected as a substitute to attend the launch of an instructional programme in Johannesburg.
“The non-appearance of the deputy minister is unacceptable. The first function of the committee and Parliament is to carry the chief to account and the committee is just not ready to entertain late, unjustifiable withdrawals by members of the chief. The listening to will likely be rescheduled to a date to be introduced in the end, the place we count on the minister or deputy minister to look in particular person,” stated SCOPA Chairperson Mr Songezo Zibi.
Committee members from all political events represented within the committee voiced their excessive disappointment on the deputy minister’s failure to look, after he had delegated political accountability to departmental officers. Mr Zibi will likely be writing a letter to the Minister of Greater Training and Coaching, Ms Nobuhle Nkabane, and the Deputy President, Mr Paul Mashatile, to ask them to take stern motion and be certain that the committee is briefed by the chief in accordance with the foundations.
Mr Manamela and the delegation from his division had been anticipated to transient the committee on varied issues referring to the NSF and the NSFAS and on investigations into the 2 entities performed by the Particular Investigations Unit. The committee is dissatisfied that it can’t handle points affecting NSFAS and but 1000’s of scholars are affected by its inefficiencies. The committee can also be aggrieved that the cash spent to fly departmental employees to Cape City is wasteful expenditure.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.