SA Express CEO arrives late for Scopa meeting over delayed flight

Cape Town - SA Express CEO Inati Ntshanga arrived an hour late for a meeting with Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts after his flight was delayed.

Ntshanga appeared before the committee on Tuesday, along with the Departments of Public Works, Transport and Human Settlements to be grilled on why they did not table their annual reports to Parliament by the September 30 deadline.

Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi said his department's large asset register was the main reason why it had not tabled its report on time.

The department has over 95 000 properties to account for and the auditing of said properties was "substantially" more extensive than that of any other entity - government or private.

Head of property Paul Serote told the committee that the department eventually tabled its report to the Speaker on October 31, a month late.

"We take our responsibility seriously. We accept also the concerns which you have raised. We request the committee members to engage with the reasons that [were] beyond our control."

DEA excuses itself

Human Settlements COO Neville Chainee said there had been many issues close to the report deadline which made their task difficult, such as assets that had been transferred during the period in question, and staff facing retrenchments.

SA Express, meanwhile, in a letter to committee chairperson Themba Godi, said they could not satisfactorily submit financial statements to the Auditor General, and that is why they could not submit an annual report to Parliament.

The Department of Environmental Affairs was also meant to present, but apologised for not being able to make the meeting due to a mediation process between themselves and National Treasury.

MPs said the excuses were not good enough.

"I don't think it's correct for them to decide when they want to be here," IFP MP Mkhuleko Hlengwa said.

"The whole intention of this sitting is to understand why things have not been done as they should be.

Deep concern

"I think we need to communicate our disquiet with the department. Quite frankly, I don't think it's an apology; it's a dereliction of duty and an effort to avoid accountability," he said of the environmental affairs letter.

ANC MP Mnyamezeli Booi questioned the mediation process mentioned in the letter, and said this approach must be investigated.

DA MP David Ross expressed his deep concern over SA Express and the Department of Environmental Affairs.

"This was an ideal way for the departments to come clear," Ross said.

"It shows a defiance in terms of what must be done in legislative requirements."

Godi said the sending of an "eleventh-hour" letter to excuse themselves was not how Parliament does business.

The sitting continues on Tuesday.