Total Budget for the Budget Speech of the Department of Foreign Affairs in the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO 281

PUBLISHED IN THE INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 6 OF 25 JUNE 2004

MR LB LABUSCHAGNE TO ASK THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

(a)What was the total cost to her department of any publicity, promotions or information displays and entertainment of members of Parliament, media or public servants to mark the occasion of her budget speech in both the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces in 2004, (b) what were the specific costs related to (I) promotional items and printed matter, (ii) audio-visual materials and/or displays, (iii) hiring of equipment and personnel, (iv) transport, (v) venue hire, (vi) food and drinks, (vii) music and/or other entertainment and (viii) any other specified costs and (c) in what way did this expenditure improve service delivery by her department? N317E

REPLY:

a) Total Cost: R25 631.20

b) Specific Costs:

i) Promotional items and printed matter : R00
ii) Audi-visual materials and/or displays: R00
iii) Hiring of equipment and personnel: R00
iv) Transport: R 2 700.00
v) Venue hire: R00
vi) Food R00
vii) Drinks R 7 931.20
viii) Music and or other entertainment R15 000.00
ix) Any other specified cost Nil

c) The cocktail after the Minister's Budget Vote Speech provides an ideal platform for the Minister to interact with departmental stakeholders including Ministers, members of the Portfolio Committee, Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to South Africa, business people, members of civil society as well as senior managers of the department.

This year's cocktail function was unique in the sense that both the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Social Development jointly hosted it. The joint event was cost effective since it reduced costs to host the function that would otherwise have been borne by each ministry.

Accordingly, the joint cocktail event provided an even better platform for both Ministers to interact with a broader target audience, which extended beyond their focused areas of responsibilities. As a result the platform was created for provision and sharing of information to the various sectors through the joint cocktail event.