On Friday, 11 March, the North West Provincial Legislature’s Standing Committee on Provincial Public Accounts led by the Chairperson, Hon. Mahlakeng Mahlakeng told the Department of Community Safety and Transport management to review a contract for monitoring of commuter busses, which costs the department R1million a month. The Committee felt that the amount is excessive and that it could be reduced to even less than R250 000.
The department had come to account on the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) audit outcomes of the financial year 2014/15. Although the Honourable Members of the Committee commended the department for the work done, the department was told to submit in the next meeting, a detailed explanation of how the contract to monitor busses work; to look into whether the Service Level Agreement can be reviewed or identify gaps within it; and to check whether this cannot be extended to scholar transport.
Hon. Mahlakeng said the main purpose of the meeting was to ensure that PFMA is adhered to and also to ensure that there is value for money, where public funds are spent.
“I also want to bring to your attention that in your presentation there is no point where you tell us about consequence management; whether there has been a person made to pay back money after being found guilty of misusing public funds or failing to comply with Treasury Regulations .
“You must also find a mechanism of monitoring also scholar transport as there are lots of complaints from the public about scholar transport,” said Hon Mahlakeng Mahlakeng.
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Namhla Luhabe
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