STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS (SCOPA)

Transcript:STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS (SCOPA):
STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS (SCOPA) PRESENTATION ON THE LEGACY REPORT (2014-2019) 09 July 2019 1 CONTENTS Mandate of SCOPA SCOPA’s three strategic objectives (2014-2019) Focus areas as identified in the strategic plan (2014-2019) Key stakeholders Findings and challenges (SCOPA hearings and Oversight visits) Key achievements Challenges (internal and external) Key follow-up issues Recommendations to the sixth Parliament 2 Mandate of SCOPA SCOPA derives its mandate from section 55(2) of the Constitution, which stipulates that the National Assembly must provide for mechanisms to ensure that all executive organs of state in the national sphere of government are accountable to it, as well as to exercise oversight on the executive authority. SCOPA is established in terms of Rule 243 of the National Assembly Rules, 9th edition (2016). Rule 245 stipulates the functions and powers of SCOPA, which is to consider: The financial statements of all the executive organs of state and constitutional institutions or other public bodies when those statements are submitted to Parliament. Any audit reports issued on those statements. Any reports issued by the Auditor-General on the affairs of any executive organ of state, constitutional institution or other public body. 3 Mandate of SCOPA Any reports reviewing expenditure of public funds by any executive organ of state and constitutional institution or other public body. Any other financial statements or reports referred to the committee in terms of these rules. May report on any of those financial statements or reports to the Assembly. May initiate any investigation in its area of competence. Must perform any other functions, tasks or duties assigned to it in terms of the Constitution, legislation and the NA rules, the joint rules or resolutions of the Assembly, including functions, tasks and duties concerning parliamentary financial oversight or supervision of executive organs of state, constitutional institutions or public bodies. 4 SCOPA’s three strategic objectives At the beginning of the fifth Parliamentary term, the Committee developed a five-year strategic plan (2014-2019), these strategic objectives were the following: To consider all annual reports tabled. To enhance the effectiveness of SCOPA. To improve the understanding of SCOPA work by the public. 5 SCOPA’s focus areas The main focus areas for the five year period under review, were the following: Compliance with Supply Chain Management; Unauthorized, irregular, Fruitless and Wasteful Expenditure; Consequence management against officials; Financial health of departments/entities; Non-payment of invoices within 30 days; Human Resource management (including excessive reliance