Of all the provincial departments that appeared before Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) in Limpopo, the Department of Local Government and Housing is the only department that concluded the hearing with little or no drama. The others were kicked out and whilst others were told to get their houses in order. In a statement released on Monday, the 25 October 2010, MEC for Local Government and Housing Soviet Lekganyane commended his HOD Clifford Motsepe and the team for ensuring that the department continues to be accountable to the people of Limpopo through SCOPA.
Lekganyane said he’s particularly proud that the department had been praised by SCOPA members and its Chairperson for dealing with all resolutions in an satisfactory manner. In the words of SCOPA Chairperson
Derrick Ngobeni “if you compare the responses from the Department of Local Government and Housing to others, then you’ll realise that the quality of this department’s work speaks for itself”.
Not only has the department dealt with all the questions but it has also received accolades from the Auditor-General Dirk Strydom. The AG confirmed before SCOPA that the DLGH which received two consecutive clean audits is one of the best performing departments in Limpopo. The department currently holds the title of “The Best Department in Limpopo” having won the Premier Service Excellence Award. The Independent Adjudicators of the awards were impressed with the department’s ability to meet and exceed its targets of delivering good quality services to the people of Limpopo. Notably the historic achievement of building over 20 000 homes in a single financial year.
The main SCOPA resolution which many departments failed to address relates to employees doing business with government without permission. SCOPA’s instruction was that such employees should be disciplined and their companies blacklisted from doing further business with the State. The DLGH answered all SCOPA’s questions satisfactorily prompting all members to thank the HOD Clifford Motsepe for highlighting that its actually the role of National Treasury to blacklist and not the provincial departments. Although this clarification began as a “lecture” resulting in tempers flaring up, in the end it was accepted as factual and in line with legal procedure.
The DLGH had accordingly written letters asking the relevant authorities to act in line with SCOPA’s instruction. The other department which were kicked out are to re-appear at a date to be announced in future. Some of the Heads of Department have been ordered to pay for the costs of those hearings.
Enquiries:
Clayson Monyela
Cell: 082 806 7405
