APAC launches its new website

 

Nie Cele

Mbongeni Radebe in the middle flanked by APAC members.

A well propelled multiple contingency plan to tighten the oversight mechanism and put it in the public radar has prompted the Association of Public Accounts Committees (APAC) to launch a first of its kind user-friendly website.

 APAC, is a body made up of all the provincial Public Accounts Committees, Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPAs) including the one from National Assembly.

In a terse statement issued to this publication Mbongeni Radebe, the General-Secretary of APAC chronicled that,

Even though it has been a long journey, APAC was pleased that it has eventually come this far.

 

Radebe also revealed that APAC was going to encourage other jurisdictions to follow suit in this direction so that the banner of oversight and accountability is lifted high across the country.

 

“We believe that oversight structures have a critical role to play in entrenching this culture of renewal, transparency and accountability in the public sector. It is our beliefs that as the tempo rises on this fight against fraud and corruption, this website will serve a central point of reference for the media as well.

“ Our intention is to elevate the issues from being jurisdictional to being national and also international. It is our belief that enhanced oversight and this has the ability to contribute positively towards improving our economic standing in the international markets and therefore improve our attractiveness as a country to international investors,” said Radebe

Pressed to elaborate the reasons behind creating this website. He said APAC was established in 1997 and over the years has done sterling work on oversight on public accounts as per the findings of the Auditor General.

“This has impacted on the oversight generally. The work is done behind the scenes and is obscure. The website is to bring that work to the fore.”

Radebe also disclosed that the website will have historic documents, Conference Resolution on how to hold a good Public Hearing, Speeches, Calendar of events et-al, adding that this platform will be great for the sector including for Municipal Public Accounts Committees (MPACS) which are new to the environment.

In his extensive assertion Radebe also stated that since the inauguration of the Cyril Ramaphosa as the President of the country, a new wave of renewal has engulfed the country.

“There is a strong resolve amongst all oversight machinery and state organs to strengthen the fight against fraud and corruption.

In this regard, APAC has committed itself to ensuring the energy and the zest for fighting corruption and make sure the fight reaches all provinces and covers the whole spectrum of the country. This website will be a central space for sharing the workings of APAC across the country providing impetus to the fight against corruption,” Radebe argued.

 

Did you know?

• This user-friendly website is expected to carry various reports of the various Public Accounts Committees including the media statements.
• The APAC new website provides user-friendliness and functionality that will facilitate the effective communication of the work of APAC as well that of various APAC across the country.
• This website will eventually serve as a one-stop for oversight content that is in the public domain. The website will also provide APAC members and their staff a secure environment to activate debates on key oversight topics and share knowledge and information amongst them.

 

• The website will also provide an automated registration service towards all APAC events and trainings. This will allow jurisdictions to register themselves for events electronically and track their confirmations for APAC key events. The website will also carry profiles of various PACs and the work that each committee does to enhance the publicity of the oversight across the country.

 

 

See below the APAC websiteaddress and emailwww.apac.org.zaapac@agsa.co.za