A parliamentary committee wants the National Treasury to explain the R270 million that is reportedly allocated to the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) to fund the National Dialogue.

This comes after Minister Maropene Ramokgopa and Acting Director-General Melancton Makobe told the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Portfolio Committee that there was no allocation in the department’s budget.

Ramokgopa and Makobe appeared before the committee after the former received correspondence from MK Party MP Mzwanele Manyi, where he apparently accused the minister of diverting budget towards the National Dialogue.

She stated that her department was not responsible for funding any activities related to the National Dialogue.

“The National Dialogue is a presidential initiative led by the deputy president through the Inter-Ministerial-Committee (IMC).”

Ramokgopa also said the secretariat services to the National Dialogue were provided by Nedlac.

The minister explained that her department’s role was to monitor and evaluate the outcomes and process them into the National Development Plan (NDP) beyond 2030.

Makobe told the committee that the department was not responsible for the presidential funding other than follow its discussion and outcomes.

“I wish to make it categorically clear that the budget of DPME does not make provision for the funding of the National Dialogue,” he said.

DA MP Daren Bergman told the committee that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana was quoted in a news article that R485m has been allocated for the Dialogue and R270m will come from the DPME.

“Either he is not talking to his colleague within Cabinet or someone is misunderstanding or not speaking on resources… We are in for interesting few weeks,” Bergman said.

Manyi said the reports that R270m will come for the department made things interesting.

“We need to have a discussion with the minister,” he said.

ActionSA MP Athol Trollip noted that President Cyril Ramaphosa had announced the National Dialogue in his State of the Nation Address, but there was no mention of allocation in the budget.

IFP MP Zuzifa Buthelezi noted with concern that there was no clarity on the funding.

“It is quite appropriate that the deputy president is asked to come and clarify once and for all what exactly is happening,” Buthelezi said.

ANC MP Meagan Chauke shared the other MPs’ sentiments that there was a need for clarity on the funding.

“We need to be furnished with accurate facts and information,” Chauke said.

Committee Chairperson Teliswa Mgweba stated it was important to hear from the National Treasury than rely on an article.

“If there is a pronouncement by Treasury, it must be tested before this committee. I don’t think the department and the minister will be able to respond to the R270m,” Mgweba said about DPME and Ramokgopa.

In response, Makobe said the department took Parliament and the committee seriously.

“We can’t come here and say there is no budget for National Dialogue when there is. I think you need to believe us that as it currently stands, there is no budget in the department for the National Dialogue,” he said.

Ramokgopa said they had been informed at the IMC that the allocation would come from the National Treasury and then channelled to the Department of Employment and Labour to take it to Nedlac.

“I know it was never said anywhere that money will come from our department,” she insisted.

Mgweba ruled that the National Treasury will be called to clarify the reports about the R270m reportedly coming from the department.

“We don’t know if it is credible in terms of issues raised in this meeting. The National Treasury must come and brief the committee,” she said.

Mgweba also said a joint meeting will be held with the Standing Committee on Appropriation to look into the actual cost for the National Dialogue.

 “We will then, if we are not satisfied, call the deputy president to come and present before this committee,” she said, adding that Nedlac will appear immediately after the National Treasury.

mayibongwe.mqhina@inl.co.za

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