The Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises on Thursday concluded its two-day oversight visit to state-owned companies (SOC) in Gauteng.
On the last day of the oversight, the Committee visited Transnet Engineering at Koedoespoort East of Pretoria. Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, Ms Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, said the objective of the visit to the entities was to enable the Committee to understand the operations that were performed and to ensure that SOCs delivered on their developmental mandate and ensure financial sustainability.
At Transnet, the Committee was briefed on infrastructure development projects which sought to promote economic growth, local business, job creation, localisation and beneficiation, and skills development within Transnet Engineering. Briefing the Committee, the management representatives said the market demand strategy that had been developed would contribute towards the National Development Plan aspirations and was expected to create direct and indirect job opportunities totalling 494 000.
The Committee welcomed the presentation but noted with concern the credit downgrade that Transnet had received. Ms Letsatsi Duba said the Department of Public Enterprises as a shareholder needed to play a more effective role in coordinating the work that is done by SOC’s. The remarks by Ms Letsatsi-Duba follow a briefing by South African Express (SAX) earlier this week wherein the airline indicated a shortage and delay in spare parts because they had bought overseas and were acquired at a dollar and rand exchange rate. Ms Letsatsi-Duba said Denel and Transnet could play a pivotal role in assisting SAX because of the expertise that they posses in the engineering and manufacturing field.
The Committee’s oversight visit had to be cut short as a result of a plenary sitting of the National Assembly today.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Yoliswa Landu
Tel: 021 403 8203
Cell: 073 738 0182
E-mail: ylandu@parliament.gov.za
