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When the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) appears before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) today the DA will use the opportunity to urge the Commission take appropriate steps to restore its financial health and take accountability. We will not prescribe that it be placed under enforced curatorship, which has been one solution mooted so far, because the CGE is a Chapter Nine institution and should thus enjoy a separation from the state. Nevertheless the DA believes that it is necessary for urgent steps to be taken, and it is our hope that the Commission itself will agree and take the necessary action.

Internal management has to date not performed competently and the DA will call on the CGE to seek external management advice.

The DA will also write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, to call for the establishment of a multi-party task team from within the Portfolio Committee to monitor and assist the CGE.

Certainly the situation at the Commission is dire and if drastic action such as this is not taken, it hovers on the verge of complete collapse.

In its recently tabled 2008/09 annual report, the Auditor-General has issued a 16-point disclaimer of opinion against the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE). The disclaimer so extensively describes the dysfunctional nature of this Chapter Nine body, the scope of the problem is almost unprecedented. This is the second year in a row the CGE has received a disclaimer (two years ago its audit report was virtually clean).

The DA has a copy of the A-G's report, as well as the full annual report, both of which are available on request. Below this statement also follow a selection of concerns raised by the A-G in his report that serve to give some idea of the extent of the problem.

The CGE exists to promote and protect gender rights; obviously the biggest challenge in this regard are the rights of women, which need to be relentless protected, promoted and championed. It is women, then, who suffer when the very institution designed to serve this purpose cannot manage itself, let alone implement its mandate.

South African women face one of the highest levels of rape and assault in the world. The CGE has an important function: to advance gender rights in all spheres of society, and make recommendations on any legislation affecting the status of women's rights. Without an institution like the CGE the plights affecting women of this country will not be fully addressed. It is therefore vital that this institution is put back on track so that it can perform its duties, which is to fight against the oppression and discrimination of women.

The DA will monitor the CGE by asking parliamentary questions to further investigate:

The expenditure irregularities;
Why correct tender procedures haven't been adhered to;
General Wasteful expenditure; and
Lack of strategic planning by management of the CGE

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

CONCERNS RAISED BY THE AUDITOR-GENERAL:
The CGE's irregular expenditure is comprised as follows:

• The Commissioners received unauthorized acting allowances amounting to R47, 928.
• Unauthorized travel and subsistence expenditure amounting to R271, 022 was incurred by the chairperson of the Commission.
• Travel requisitions were not completed prior to trips being taken amounting to R784, 876.
• Amounts paid to a supplier amounting to R4, 998 472 as it cannot be verified whether the correct tender procedures were followed
• Amounts paid to a supplier amounting to R2, 266 339 paid as no tender process was followed
• No quotations were obtained for operating expenditure amounting to an estimate of R1, 626 008.
• No quotations were obtained for the acquisition of fixed asset amounting to R1 182 636. Included in this amount is a once off purchase amounting to R735, 552 for which no tender process was followed.
• Fixed asset acquisitions amounting to R541, 009 were not approved by the CEO.
• Payments estimated to amount to R2, 396 203 were made to purchase assets for which no invoices were obtained.
• Petty cash monies were deposited into an employee's personal bank account amounting to R18, 702.
• Finance lease payments for the current and previous financial year: the amount can not be determined, due to its restrictions imposed by the client and their records not permitting the application of alternative procedures.