The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has moved to assure South Africans that budgetary matters relating to the Madlanga Commission have been properly managed and communicated with no formal concerns about the budget raised with the department.
This after some media reported that the commission’s former Chief Evidence Leader, Advocate Terry Motau SC, has raised some concerns about the commission’s budget.
The commission had announced Motau’s exit earlier this week.
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“Advocate Motau has suggested that budgetary issues and his fears of budgetary shortfalls influenced his decision to resign from the Commission.
“The Minister wishes to place on record that budgetary matters relating to the Commission have been properly managed and communicated, and at no point were formal concerns about the budget raised with the Department.
“The Minister further notes that Advocate Motau was directly involved in the process of determining the fee structure for himself and his junior counsel,” the department said in a statement.
The commission’s R147.9 million budget is allocated as follows:
• Compensation of employees including commissioners, evidence leaders, investigators, researchers and secretariat staff – R10.898 million
• Goods and services including communication and Information and communications technology (ICT), consultants, legal services and travel and subsistence – R100.744 million
• Payments for capital services for secure ICT infrastructure including computers, servers and associated systems – R36.258 million
“The Commission continues to operate from the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College, a state-owned facility, at no additional cost to the fiscus. For security reasons, detailed security-related expenditure will only be made public in the Commission’s final report.
“The Minister reaffirms her commitment to transparency, accountability, and to ensuring that the Commission is adequately resourced to fulfil its important mandate. The Minister further encourages Advocate Motau to provide clarity to the public on the reasons for his decision to resign, rather than placing undue liability on the Department in so far as the budget is concerned,” the department concluded.
Commission hearings are expected to resume on 13 October. – SAnews.gov.za
