IImproving accountability: Portfolio Committee host feedback session 
By Noxolo Ntlokwana
Gauteng Portfolio Committee on Roads and Transport, chaired by MPL Gregory Schneemann, hosted a feedback session at the Mbika Cindi Community Centre in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni on Thursday, 16 February 2023.
The committee received feedback from the Department of Roads and Transport on matters raised by stakeholders in previously held public meetings. These issues included, amongst others, subsidized bus contracts in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and northern parts of Tshwane.
Portfolio Committees deal mainly with the examining of bills, Departmental budget votes and are responsible for oversight work. 
Present to provide feedback and respond to issues raised by the community were Head of Department Dr Thulani Mdadane, Department's senior management; chief executives of the Transport Authority for Gauteng (TAG) and Gauteng Management Agency's (GMA) Mr. Jack van der Merwe and William Dachs respectively. Members of the Committee including its Chair MPL Gregory Scheemann, MPL Du Plessis, MPL Ndlovana and other stakeholders also raised issues. 
Amongst several issues raised by stakeholders, the most prominent was a request for the Department to scrap the North-West Transport Investment (NTI) Bus Company contract. In their response, both the Head of Department and MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabane made an assurance the Department will undertake a review of all thirty-six (36) bus contracts' terms of reference. They also promised to provide feedback to affected communities.
IIn his presentation, the Department's Director: Stakeholder Relations Mr Mbali Seheri tabled a report on inputs raised by stakeholders and communities in public meetings previously held in the Cities of Tshwane and Ekurhuleni. Ms. Hemlata Jugoo, Director responsible for Monitoring and Evaluation also presented the Quarter 3 Report (2022/230 on strides the Department has made in pursuit of its priorities and mandate.
Head of Department Dr Mdadane assured the public the organization will undertake a review of its current Project Steering Committee Framework. This will include adhering to advice as received from the public on the incorporation of civil society as part of its planning. Instances include having local councilors giving employment opportunities to specific party members and not to the broader community. 
TAG's Mr Jack Van Der Merwe presented a report on the state of readiness on hydrogen- powered and electric vehicles in the province. He focused on programs/projects as well as the policy in place to accommodate this new era. The study was commissioned by the Committee. 
In her appreciation of the report, MEC Diale Tlabane further requested that public engagements be held to discuss the study. She offered her support to the planned German study tour to be facilitated by TAG and Department's senior managers.
DDG: Transport Aubrey Motubatse gave an overview on the Department's role in the provision of scholar transport in the province. He further clarified the Department's role with regards to scholar transport. "The provision of contracted scholar transport service in the province is with Gauteng Department of Education. Roads and Transport remains the regulator and law-enforcer to reduce lawlessness and improve compliance". 
He added non-contracted scholar transport services are provided by a number of operators themselves under the Gauteng Education Transport Services (GETS). GETS is a formal provincial non-contracted scholar transport service association representing the interests of operators. 
The public meetings, taking government to the people, in Ekurhuleni follows another held at the Naledi Community Hall in Soweto, on 09 February 2023.