The allegation carried by a media report, quoting a member of the opposition party in Parliament, this morning that the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, is not cooperating with Parliament and the Portfolio Committee is incorrect.
As a department, we have so far obliged to all requests by the Portfolio Committee to give briefings, make presentations and to present any document requested. Where there was a request for minister or deputy ministers to attend meetings of the Portfolio Committee, minister's office would check against the minister's diary to see if there would not be any clash with prior arranged or pressing matters and the committee would be informed accordingly.
After the fourth Parliament opened in 2009, we ensured that the minister and senior management of the department attend the first Portfolio Committee of the fourth Parliament as a gesture of respect and cooperation to Parliament and the Portfolio Committee, there was no invite for minister to be present, but we felt it would be correct to do so.
We must put it on record that there is no request from the Portfolio Committee, as far as we know, that the minister has refused to respond or comply with.
As a matter of fact, our Deputy Minister, Mr Ebrahim Ebrahim, has ensured that whenever he has time and the Portfolio Committee is sitting, he attends the meetings, the latest being the meeting of 25August 2010.
We know that the Democratic Alliance component of the committee was not happy with the way the committee was managed and they did voice this in one meeting, but it had nothing to do with the relations between the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and the committee.
We must here place it on record that since 2007 to 2009, we have closed all these years without one parliamentary question outstanding and we are determined to do the same in 2010.
For more information, please contact:
Saul Kgomotso Molobi
Cell: 082 940 1647
Tel: +27 12 351 0083
E-mail: molobisk@dirco.gov.za
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation does meet her obligations to Parliament and the Portfolio Committee
