J Radebe: Transport Agencies General Laws Amendment Bill

7 September 2007

Madam Speaker, Honourable Members, let me remind the house that the existing
transport entities have up to now been established in accordance with various
Principal Acts of Parliament. As a result, uniformity and standardisation
across entities have always been elusive, particularly in appointing board
members and CEOs of entities.

Quite frankly, the Transport Agencies General Laws Amendment Bill will
simplify the complexities and delays of appointing the board members and CEOs
of transport entities. It will also bring the missing link of streamlining,
standardisation as well as allow Transport entities to sing from the same hymn
book.

The Bill also provides for the necessary measures for the integration of how
we manage entities. It also seeks to ensure that appointments within entities
are a fundamental component of service delivery.

Specifically, our criteria for the appointment of board members will move
beyond just general skills and experience in the legal, corporate governance
and financial management, etcetera - to more sector specific skills and
experience. This will contribute immensely towards service delivery.

We also believe that the tenure period of board members is fundamental in
realising their full potential and contribution to the entities. The Bill
therefore proposes a standardised appointment period of a three year cycle and
thereafter a board member is eligible for re-appointment for a further three
years. We believe that this approach will allow board members to realise their
full potential in contributing towards achieving the objectives of the
entities, while the department gets its money's worth.

Honourable members, in summary, the Bill seeks to standardise practises
within entities by streamlining the processes of selection and appointments of
board members and CEOs of entities. Particularly, it will ensure uniformity in
the appointment of CEOs with more emphasis on the consultation between the
Minister of Transport and relevant Boards prior to appointments of CEOs.

Quite noticeably, the Bill also emphasises the need to appoint and deploy
senior departmental officials to entities - as and when required - in order to
ensure harmony between the national policy directives and the strategic
objectives of the entities - with a view to strengthening oversight
responsibility of the Department of Transport.

The signing of the performance agreements with the entities is also central
in the Amendment Bill - which is in line with the Public Finance Management
Act.

Honourable members, let us remember that the principal objective of the
Transport Agencies General Laws Amendment Bill is to amend the principal Acts
that established the following entities:

* Cross-Border Road Transport Agency
* South African Maritime Safety Authority
* South African National Roads Agency Limited
* The Transport Appeal Tribunal
* The South African Civil Aviation Authority
* The Road Traffic Management Corporation
* National Railway Safety Regulator.

Therefore, the amendment before this house included a lengthy process of
consultation with all these entities and general stakeholders. Simply put, it
is through this Bill that we will be able to set the same rules of the game for
all entities.

Madam Speaker, I request the National Assembly to pass the Bill, please.

Second Part of the Debate
Concluding Remarks:

In view of all the comments and questions let us remember that this Bill
will transform entities into robust machineries of service delivery.

The General Laws Amendment Bill will:

* ensure the streamlining of the appointment processes and procedures within
entities and remove limitations of delivery capacity
* boost the performance of entities through strict monitoring of performance
agreements with entities
* ensure the smooth harmonisation of the national policy directive and
strategic objectives of the entities.

But finally, entities will have one point of reference in the form of the
Amendment Bill. In conclusion, I therefore wish to state that the house would
not have erred by putting its stamp of approval on this Bill.

I thank you

Issued by: Department of Transport
7 September 2007
Source: SAPA