Gauteng Unauthorised Expenditure Bill, 2020

Chairperson of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), Honourable Sochayile Khanyile; is inviting members of the public and all interested stakeholders to submit comments on the Gauteng Provincial Unauthorised Expenditure Bill (2020).

The Bill seeks to provide for the authorisation of unauthorised expenditure incurred by the Office of the Premier from the Provincial Revenue Fund; and to provide for matters incidental thereto or connected therewith.

Expenditure to the amount of R5 920 000.00 was incurred by the Office of the Premier during the period April 2018 to March 2019, in respect of claims paid in accordance with an arbitration award issued by former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, in the matter concerning the death of mentally-ill patients who were removed from the institutional care of Life Esidimeni (Pty) Ltd to the care of various non-governmental organisations or institutions within the Province.

The Office of the Premier incurred this unauthorised expenditure due to overspending of Vote 1 or am main division within the Vote, expenditure not in accordance with the purpose of the Vote or a main division within the Vote, or without complying with the relevant legislation, regulation or rule, during the 2018/2019 Financial Year. The key reason for the unauthorised expenditure was due to payments made to the families of the victims of Life Esidimeni.

The financial implications of the Bill as recommended by SCOPA, is for the Gauteng Provincial Legislature to grant authorisation for the amount of R5 920 000.00 to become a direct charge against the Provincial Revenue Fun in terms of section 34(1) of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No.1 of 1999). This will effectively reduce the provincial surpluses accumulated over the previous years and clear the overdraft balance in the bank account of the Office of the Premier.

Interested stakeholders are quired to submit written comments on the Bill by Monday, 8^th March 2021 to: Mr Simon Magolego on 071 603 1667 Email: smagolego@gpl.gov.za OR Ms. Mompati Gaonnwe on 082 726 5296 Email: mgaonnwe@gpl.gov.za

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