DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC ENTERPRISES

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO.: 3134

DATE OF PUBLICATION: 05 November 2010

3134.   Mr P van Dalen (DA) to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises:

(1) Whether Transnet funded a certain person's (Vytjie Mentor) trip to China in August 2010; if so, (a) what was the amount paid by Transnet to fund this trip, (b) from which budget were these funds appropriated, (c) what were the reasons for funding this trip and (d) what is the breakdown of the funding paid by Transnet;

(2) Whether Transnet funded any other overseas trips of members of Parliament (MPs) in the past; if so, in each case, (a) what is the name of the MP, (b) when did the trip occur, (c) what was the destination and (d) what is the reason for funding the trip;

(3) Whether Transnet has a budget for the specific purpose of funding trips by MPs; if so, how (a) long has this budget been in existence and (b) much funds have been used since its inception? NW3934E

REPLY

(1) Yes, Transnet has funded the former Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises on a trip to China in August 2010.

(1)(a) The amount funded for the trip was R155, 456.00.

(1)(b) The funds were appropriated from Transnet's sponsorship budget.

(1)(c) The reasons for funding the trip are as follows:

• The former Chairperson, in her request for the sponsorship, indicated that on 19 August 2010 she had received an invitation from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to participate in the President's State Visit and given that she had only received the invitation on 19 August 2010, she would not be able to obtain the applicable approval for the costs of an international travel. According to her, it would have taken up to 14 days (in terms of the applicable policy of Parliament) to obtain approval for the costs of an international trip. Such approval (assuming the maximum 14 days was taken to obtain the necessary approval) would therefore be obtained long after the President's State Visit to China had been concluded.
• It was indicated by the former Chairperson that her participation (as invited) in the President's State Visit would benefit her in gaining better insight and understanding relative to the exercise of her responsibilities as the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises as it would allow her to engage with, amongst others, Chinese State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) involved in rail.
• Transnet like many other corporates in South Africa, puts a lot of value in understanding the economy of the People's Republic of China and the role of SOEs in that economy. A lot of commodities that Transnet rails from source and handles in the ports prior to being shipped to their import destinations are destined for China.
• Transnet believes that any informed knowledge and understanding of SOEs that participate in the public freight logistics of the People's Republic of China would benefit the former Chairperson and her Committee, in general, in the exercise of their oversight role of SOEs.
• The former Chairperson provided Transnet with a copy of the invitation extended to her by the DTI. As the request for financial assistance had been sent by the Personal Assistant of the former Chairperson and not the former Chairperson herself, it was requested that she confirmed the contents under her signature,  which she subsequently did.

      1(d) The table below indicate the breakdown of the funding of a trip to China funded by Transnet.

* Different time zones

(2) No, Transnet did not fund any other overseas trips of Members of Parliament in the past.

Issued by Parliament, December 6 2010

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter