Parliament welcomed Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s announcement that R2 billion would be set aside to restore the parliamentary buildings, which were severely damaged in a fire on 2 January.

Furthermore, the national legislature will also get an additional R100 million per year to address its baseline budget, which has been eroded over the years.

The Zondo Commission, which had a damning verdict on Parliament’s oversight role during the state capture era, recommended that the funding of Parliament should be addressed.

Godongwana delivered his Medium Term Budget Policy Statement on Wednesday in the Cape Town City Hall, because of the extensive fire damage to the National Assembly Chamber.

“We are working closely with the presiding officers of Parliament to restore and rebuild our Parliament. Over the medium-term expenditure framework, we have made allowance for approximately R2 billion for rebuilding our Parliament,” Godongwana said.

“The allocation affords Parliament an opportunity to urgently deal with infrastructure challenges posed by the fire, which includes rebuilding damaged structures, interim arrangement for the physical return of all Members of Parliament for plenary and committee sittings, broadcast infrastructure and the modernisation of committee rooms to enable hybrid meetings,” said Parliament’s spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, in a statement.

“The allocation announced by the minister today gives an added impetus to the process of rebuilding and returning Parliament to its optimal operation.”

Furthermore, Parliament will also receive an allocation for R118 million for unforeseen and unavoidable expenditure as a result of the impact of both the fire and Covid-19 on the operations of Parliament.

At a meeting of the Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament last week, the Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George, said Parliament had requested funds for unforeseen and unavoidable expenditure.

While they would not get the full amount they requested, R118 million would see them through in preparation for next year’s State of the Nation Address, budget address and members’ offices.

At the same meeting, the Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, said a parliamentary delegation had a “good discussion” with Godongwana and his team about the financial impact of the fire.

They agreed the restoration should be a separate project, with a trilateral steering committee, including Parliament, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and Treasury. This would allow Treasury to monitor the expenditure.

She said she agreed with Godongwana that the payments would be transferred to Parliament, so that it could account for the refurbishment of its buildings.

They are looking at procurement systems with proper checks and balances, Mapisa-Nqakula added.

Parliament’s budget has long been a concern.

In the current financial year, its budget for legislation and oversight was underfunded by R58 million, Parliament heard in June.

The Zondo Commission also noted Parliament’s budget.

“Inadequacy of resources is, in the commission’s view, not an adequate explanation for all the failures of parliamentary oversight noted, but it is nonetheless a concern,” the report read.

The commission recommended that adequate funds be allocated to committees to conduct oversight work.

“It is recommended that, subject to budgetary constraints, the scale and skills of the research and technical assistance made available to the portfolio committees be enhanced.”

Responding to Godongwana’s announcement, Mothapo said: “We are also pleased that National Treasury has committed to an allocation of R100 million per annum in the medium-term period toward remedying our budget baseline, which suffered significant erosion over the years through budget cuts.

“We consider this a step in the right direction toward eventually attaining the requested R300 million over the same period to fully restore the baseline to enable Parliament to discharge its constitutional functions.”

News24