The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) today decided unanimously to adjourn a hearing on the National Skills Fund (NSF) and the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). This is due to the late and unjustifiable withdrawal from the meeting of the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Buti Manamela, who chose instead to attend the launch of an academic programme in Johannesburg.

“The non-appearance of the deputy minister is unacceptable. The primary role of the committee and Parliament is to hold the executive to account and the committee is not prepared to entertain late, unjustifiable withdrawals by members of the executive. The hearing will be rescheduled to a date to be announced in due course, where we expect the minister or deputy minister to appear in person,” said SCOPA Chairperson Mr Songezo Zibi.

Committee members from all political parties represented in the committee voiced their extreme disappointment at the deputy minister’s failure to appear, after he had delegated political accountability to departmental officials. Mr Zibi will be writing a letter to the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Ms Nobuhle Nkabane, and the Deputy President, Mr Paul Mashatile, to ask them to take stern action and ensure that the committee is briefed by the executive in accordance with the rules.

Mr Manamela and the delegation from his department were expected to brief the committee on various matters relating to the NSF and the NSFAS and on investigations into the two entities conducted by the Special Investigations Unit. The committee is disappointed that it cannot address issues affecting NSFAS and yet thousands of students are affected by its inefficiencies. The committee is also aggrieved that the money spent to fly departmental staff to Cape Town is wasteful expenditure.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services today held an informative and frank engagement regarding correctional supervision and parole boards in South Africa.

The committee was briefed by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) on the structure and functions, challenges, and successes, plans to address identified challenges, and progress in legislation to overhaul the parole system.

Committee Chairperson Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng said the committee extensively discussed all the matters, with a key focus on medical parole. “The committee commends the presentation. Our questions and concerns were mostly covered. Some of the statistics on medical parolees and the way forward in terms of vacancies will be addressed to the committee in writing to further interrogate this matter,” she said.

The committee heard there are currently 52 correctional supervision and parole boards (CSPB) in the country, whose main function is to consider offenders for possible placement on parole and correctional supervision. The Correctional Services Act (CSA) provides that any sentenced offender may be considered for placement on medical parole by the National Commissioner, the CSPB or the Minister. The Minister must establish a Medical Parole Advisory Board (MPAB) to provide an independent medical report to the National Commissioner, the CSPB or the Minister.

The MPAB must make a recommendation to the National Commissioner, the CSPB or the Minister on whether it is appropriate to grant medical parole. The committee heard that the CSA provides a list of medical conditions for consideration by the MPAB when assessing an offender’s medical parole application.

Regarding deaths of inmates while awaiting medical parole outcomes, the committee heard that during the 2023/24 financial year, 22 offenders died before their medical parole applications could be finalised. During the same financial year, 85 offenders had applied for medical parole, four of whom were released on normal parole, 43 of whom were recommended for medical parole, 13 were not recommended and 22 died prior to their applications process being completed.

“We have raised concerns. We noted that vacancies exist in some of these boards, which could be a contributing factor. The department will furnish us with further information we required,” Ms Ramolobeng emphasised.

Ms Ramolobeng further stated that some committee members had concerns about inmates who were granted medical parole as they were terminally ill, but more than a decade later they are still to be found functioning well in society.

The DCS said that statistics relating to this issue will be provided to the committee in writing. However, the committee was assured that the board reviewing such matters is expert in the health field. The DCS conceded that such exceptional cases do exist but maintained that the number is small.

“The department will provide us with the statistics of such matters, but they have assured us in the meantime that that figure is generally low. We will engage once we received the information requested,” said Ms Ramolobeng.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

The meeting which held on September 2, 2024, at the Ministry of Women Affairs in Abuja was an opportunity for Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, to inform the President of ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray on new strategies to ensure prudent use of funds donated by ECOWAS to Nigeria to treat and rehabilitate women suffering from obstetric fistula.

Mrs Kennedy-Ohanenye said that funds donated by ECOWAS to Nigeria for the treatment of women suffering from obstetric fistula do not have an appreciable impact on the women as a significant amount is channeled to training doctors, sensitization programs and workshops instead of the treatment of the patients.

Reaffirming her commitment to a new approach, She said the Ministry of Women Affairs has collaborated with the Nigeria’s Ministry of Health to ensure that the bulk of donor funds and grants to treat fistula are spent on the actual treatment of the patients while the Ministry of health will handle the training of Doctors.

Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye therefore sought the cooperation of the Chairman ECOWAS commission to ensure effective utilization of the funds donated to Nigeria for the treatment of obstetric fistula and women empowerment.

Responding to the Minister, Dr. Touray welcomed an approach which prioritizes the treatment and rehabilitation of patients noting that this is the manner of collaboration the commission is seeking from member states.

He further stated that the commission is prepared to take on board the suggestions from the Minister and would adjust its programs as this would significantly impact the lives of the beneficiaries.

On December 7th , 2023, ECOWAS through its Gender Development Centre issued a $245,000 grant to Nigeria and seven other member states to treat fistula victims marking a significant step in addressing health challenges of women in the subregion.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The 2nd Indonesia – Africa Forum (IAF II) is a platform to enhance concrete economic cooperation with Africa as Indonesia’s key economic partner, following the success of the first IAF in 2018. The Forum is held under the theme of “Bandung Spirit for Africa’s Agenda 2063,” highlighting shared values and principles which would lay a strong foundation for robust, inclusive, equal, and sustained relations between Indonesia and Africa.

The Forum was officiated by President of the Republic of Indonesia H.E. Joko Widodo and was attended by several African Heads of States and Government including H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana; and H.E. Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of the Republic of Liberia.

H.E. Damtien TCHINTCHIBIDJA, who led the ECOWAS delegation, provided remarks on the first panel discussion on the Update and Prospect for Cooperation between ECOWAS and Indonesia, highlighting shared aspirations, as well as current and potential areas of future cooperation.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).