Joint Committee on Ethics & Members Interests Election of Co-Chairpersons

Meeting report

Ms F Mahomed, Registrar of Members Interests, noted that the Committee could not proceed with its agenda because most of the Members were absent. In order to reach a quorum; 14 Members must be present because the Committee was comprised of 27 people.

Ms D Kohler-Barnard (DA) said that it was impossible for the meeting to continue without a quorum.

Mr G Mokoro (ANC) asked if there were still vacancies in the Committee because if that was the case that would mean that the Committee had reached its target of having 27 members.

Ms Mahomed recalled that in the past even when there were vacancies, the Committee was always governed by the rules of Parliament. The rule said that the majority of the members must be present.

Ms B. Ngcobo (ANC) asked when the oath would be taken and what implication it would have.

Ms Mahomed explained that Members of the Committee had to take the oath because they would have access to the confidential section of the Register of Members Interest. It was necessary to ensure that members did not abuse their powers. She had asked the Speaker of the National Assembly for a suitable time for the members to take the oath.

A member from the ANC asked what the implication would be if they took a decision in the meeting without having a quorum.

Ms Mahomed said that it would be better for the Members to abide by the rules; a decision taken without a quorum would have legal implications. 

DA members asked for the meeting to be dissolved because there was no quorum.

The meeting was adjourned