South Africa: Parliament's oversight of public money
- Oversight duty
- Constitution section 55(2) 1
- Committee powers
- Constitution section 56 1
- Cabinet reporting
- Constitution section 92(3) 1
- SCOPA chairperson listed
- Mr Songezo Siphiwo Zibi 2
- Report series
- Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports (ATC) 3
Constitutional basis
Section 55(2) of the Constitution requires the National Assembly to provide mechanisms for executive organs of state in the national sphere to be accountable to it, and to oversee the exercise of national executive authority, including the implementation of laws 1.
Section 56 lets the Assembly or any of its committees summon any person to give evidence under oath or affirmation or to produce documents, require any person or institution to report to it, and receive petitions and submissions 1. Section 92(2) makes Cabinet members accountable collectively and individually to Parliament, and section 92(3) requires them to provide Parliament with full and regular reports concerning matters under their control 1.
SCOPA
Parliament's committee details page lists the Standing Committee on Public Accounts with Mr Songezo Siphiwo Zibi as chairperson 2. The page does not set out the committee's mandate in text and links to general Parliament pages for minutes, tabled papers and committee reports 2.
This site has not confirmed from a primary source a fixed deadline for the executive's reply to a SCOPA report, as of 22 October 2026.
How reports and responses are published
Committee reports are published in the Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports (ATC) series on Parliament's website 3. The SCOPA page links to ATC, Minutes of Proceedings, Tabled Papers and Committee Meetings 2.
Hansard is described on Parliament's site as a substantially verbatim report of parliamentary proceedings 4.
Where to find documents
Records on this site
This site's South Africa record covers implementation of the Zondo recommendations. It follows the method in How to track a recommendation.
Common questions
What is SCOPA?
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts of the National Assembly 2.
Can SCOPA summon witnesses?
Section 56 of the Constitution lets the Assembly or any committee summon any person to give evidence or produce documents 1.
Where are committee reports published?
In the Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports series on Parliament's website 3.
Rules and fees change. Check the official site linked above before you apply or pay. Spotted an error? Email hello@parliamentfollowup.org with the official link.
Sources
- Constitute Project: Constitution of South Africa, text as revised to 2012 (page checked 22 October 2026)
- Parliament of South Africa: Standing Committee on Public Accounts details page (page checked 22 October 2026)
- Parliament of South Africa: Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports (ATC) (page checked 22 October 2026)
- Parliament of South Africa: Hansard (page checked 22 October 2026)
Related
- South Africa: implementation of the State Capture Commission recommendations
How the Presidency responded to the State Capture Commission in October 2022 and what its progress reports of 2023 and 2025 say about the 60 actions.
- How committee recommendations work
How public accounts and oversight committees gather evidence, write reports and make recommendations to government, with examples from six parliaments.
- How to track a recommendation
A step by step method for following one committee recommendation from report to government reply to outcome, with official links for six parliaments.
- United Kingdom: the Public Accounts Committee and Treasury Minutes
How the UK Public Accounts Committee works with the National Audit Office, how Treasury Minutes reply to its reports, and where to find Hansard.