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[Note: The NCACC is scheduled to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans on Tuesday 18 May 2010]
The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes that parliament may be at risk of being complicit in covering up details about conventional arms exports by not distributing National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) quarterly reports to members of Parliament.
The NCACC is required, in terms of Section 23(1)(b) of the National Conventional Arms Control Act (No. 41 of 2002), to submit quarterly reports on all conventional arms exports concluded during the preceding quarter to Parliament.
The quarterly reports - most importantly - contain more information than the annual reports including the importing state names as well the type, quantity and value of all conventional arms exports.
The chairperson of the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans, Nyami Booi, confirmed that the quarterly reports have been submitted to Parliament. However, he claims that the reports are in the possession of the chairperson of the joint standing committee on defence and military veterans, Hlengiwe Mgabadeli. She, however, claims that the quarterly reports are not in her possession.
This appears to be a case of parliamentary pass-the-parcel between the chairpersons of the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans and the joint standing committee of defence and military veterans.
The fact is that, without the quarterly reports, members of the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans will be hamstrung in providing proper scrutiny and oversight of the NCACC.
The DA will therefore call on the chairperson of committees and oversight at parliament, Obed Bapela, to intervene in this matter and to ensure that members of the portfolio committee receive copies.