1. Information Section: Research Unit
Sifiso Ngesi

2. TRANSPORT BUDGET VOTE 33 18 June 2009
Paper delivered by Ms C. Rustin, Research Unit, Parliament of South Africa.

3. Introduction Mandate of the Department.
“the heartbeat of South Africa’s economic growth and social development”.

4. Strategic objectives (2008 - 2011 Strat Plan)
Manage a national innovative research and provide economic advice.
Create an enabling regulatory environment and manage accident and incident investigations.
Manage the implementation of the transport logistics strategy.
Develop integrated, accessible and affordable public transport.
Develop appropriate mandate and monitoring mechanisms for public entities.

5. Policy Priorities (2009/10- 2011/12)
Improve access to public transport.
Promote infrastructure investment.
Develop regulatory system and capacity.
Reduce road accident fatalities.
Ensure a balance between rail and road.

6. Budget Analysis

7. Budget Analysis
Dept received R23.7 billion of the national budget vote (5.5 per cent).
2008/09 and 2009/10 – 3.10 per cent (9.52 per cent) – decrease.
Major decreases – Public Entity Oversight & Border Operations & Control and Transport Regulation & Acc. & Inc. Investigation.
Reason (s) for decrease.
59.8 per cent of the budget – Public transport.
37.3 per cent - Integrated Planning and Inter-Sphere Coordination.
2.9 per cent – five Programmes.

8. Programme Analysis Programme 1: Administration – decrease.
Decrease on compensation of employees, use of consultants, goods and services.
Programme 2: Transport Policy and Economic Regulation – increase.
Increase in the Economic Regulation sub-programme in line with strategic objective of managing “national innovative research”.
Programme 3: Transport Regulation and Accident and Incident Regulation – decrease.
Decrease in Road Transport Regulation sub-programme
In recognition of the central role of research services to the Parliament the Research Unit is funded completely by the Parliament of South Africa.
The Research Unit now serves both the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.
The Research Unit has expanded and is currently staffed by about 39 researchers.
In recognition of the need to provide Members of Parliament with a consolidated service, it was deemed more strategic and cost-effective to provide a library and research service, which operates in a single section, and shares much of the resources. The Research Unit and the Library (each headed by a unit manager) were amalgamated into the Information Services Section, headed by a section manager.
Prior to 2007, only researchers serving the National Council of Provinces were attached to specific committees, with the exception of five committees in the National Assembly. The latter researchers have been employed on a three-year contract basis, made possible through funding by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF). Due mainly to capacity constraints, researchers who served the National Assembly provided research in accordance with their areas of expertise and are not attached to specific committees. Since 2007, the Unit has increased its research capacity significantly and now researchers have been employed and are directly attached to specific committees. Each year, approximately 400 Members are served by the Research Unit and about 1000 research reports are completed and distributed.

9. Programme Analysis (Continues)
Decrease on consultants and professionals.
Decrease in Road Transport Regulation vs strategic objective.
Programme 4: Integrated Planning and Inter-Sphere Coordination.
Integrated Infrastructure and Network Development sub-programme and 2010 World Cup Coordination
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System.
Functions and Services
The main function of the Parliamentary Research Unit is derived from the Strategic Plan of the South African Parliament, as well as the Business Plan of the Information Services Section. This entails the provision of research and information services to Members of Parliament, including the Presiding Officers, Committees and Senior Managers in Parliament.
In order to enable Members of Parliament to fulfill their Constitutional mandate and to contribute to a robust democracy, Members require research that is reliable, valid, analytical, technically sound and well synthesised. Given that Members are elected representatives of the people of South Africa, they are elected from diverse backgrounds and therefore do not necessarily have the technical and content knowledge required to make informed decisions when performing their functions. Research support is thus critical.
In order to give effect to the main function of the Research Unit, the following services are provided:
Reactive research
Proactive research
Commissioned research
Knowledge sharing and knowledge development
Support on oversight visits and study tours

10. Programme Analysis (Continued)
Programme Analysis – (Continues)
Department’s objective – investing in infrastructure.
Programme 5: Transport Logistics and Corridor Development – decrease.
National Logistics Strategy sub-programme
Reduction vs “implementation of the transport logistics strategy and the development of freight movement corridors”.

11. Programme Analysis (Continues)
Programme 6: Public transport – increase
concentration of the Department’s budget in Programme 6 – improvement of the state of public transport
Taxi Recapitalisation Office sub-programme
Programme 7: Public Entity Oversight and Border Operations and Control
Highest decrease – Road Accident Fund

12. Key Issues for Consideration
Parliament should monitor progress in integrated public transport networks.
Host cities should brief Parliament on their state of preparedness.
Parliament should monitor the implementation of the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme
Department should address Parliament on how it is handling the Bus Rapid Transit system.
Department should brief Parliament on Gautrain.

13. Key Issues for Consideration (Continues)
Department should explain why it reduced the allocation for the Road Transport Regulation sub-programme.
The Department should explain the reduction of the allocation in Administration Support sub-programmes.