The Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) is currently hosting the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Budget Committee Meeting.

The delegation, who arrived in Gauteng on Sunday for the three-day meeting, is made up of Parliamentarians from seven African countries, including the Speaker of the Parliament of KwaZulu-Natal, Nontembeko Boyce.

Countries represented in the meeting include Botswana, Bomo State of Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and Tanzania.

In 2021, the Speaker of the Gauteng Legislature, Ntombi Mekgwe was elected as the Treasurer of CPA Africa Region, a position she will occupy until 2024.

The Treasurer is responsible for management of the finances of the Region, the duty she discharges through the Budget Committee and the Program Planning and Finance Sub-Committee.

During the current Budget Committee Meeting, the following will be considered:

• Review the annual plan and assess its consistency with the objectives of the Region;

• Where relevant, review the existing policies with a view to assessing their relevance to the changing environment;

• Review the proposed itemized activities with a view to assessing their propriety with regard to the proposed volume of operations in the budget, and whether the resources requested are proportional and consistent with the Secretariat’s departmental activities; and

• Recommend the budget to the Executive Committee.

The Meeting has an important task at hand which is to consider and adopt the Mid-Year Financial Performance Report for the period ending 30th June 2022.

The diligence, accuracy, and punctuality at which this shall be done contributes immensely to the Mission for CPA Africa Region which is to promote and protect the interests and perspectives of CPA Africa Region Parliaments and countries into the Commonwealth and to promote gender equality, and good governance.

In line with the repositioning and repurposing of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), the delegates will visit the Hector Peterson Memorial and tour the Mandela Museum.

“The Constitution of South Africa calls us to Recognise the injustices of our past, honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land and respect those who have worked to build and develop our country,” the Gauteng Legislature said in a statement.

“Concurringly, the vision of the GPL is to be a progressive legislature that fosters confidence in democracy and improves the quality of life of the people of Gauteng and a mission to build a capable and robust legislature with the capacity to fulfil its constitutional mandate.

“The visit to these two sites is in fulfilment of this Constitutional obligation and to put the Gauteng legislature at the centre of legislative sector reforms,” the Legislature said.

Source: South African Government News Agency