Strategic Planning Workshop arrangements and Committee Programme

NCOP Economic and Business Development

22 February 2010
Chairperson: Mr F Adams (ANC; Western Cape)
Share this page:

Meeting Summary

The Committee discussed the upcoming Strategic Planning Workshop to be held from 8 to 12 March 2010, with some Members expressing concerns that this was too long a time for Members to be away during the working week, and that it would be useful to draft a programme indicating exactly when Members should attend the different sessions. They agreed that it would be useful to meet with a facilitator prior to the workshop.

The Committee then noted that two delegates only (later amended to two in addition to the Chairperson) were permitted by the NCOP to attend the oversight visit to Limpopo. Members’ concerns related to the lack of certainty as to the purpose of the visit, the need to hear the residents’ problems first-hand, the need for more members to attend to allow for visits to the seven to nine mines in the area, and the apparent discrepancy that funds were not being made available by the NCOP for such important visits, although there always seemed to be funding for less important matters. It was agreed that in principle, the representatives of the province being visited should always attend the oversight. Two Members were nominated, but the Committee asked that the Chairperson take up the question of allowing more delegates with the NCOP Chair. It was noted that the South African Local Government Association would also send delegates on the visit, as well as to the Parliament to the People Project.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 16 February were adopted.
 

Meeting report

Committee’s Strategic Planning Workshop
Ms E van Lingen (DA, Eastern Cape) raised two points in relation to the Committee’s Strategic Planning Workshop (the Workshop). Firstly, she believed that Members should not attend for five days of the working week. Secondly, she noted that it would be expensive, even if Members paid for their own traveling costs. She pointed out that the role of oversight by committees should start by preventing overspending of time and money. She suggested that Members should be told on what day and time they would be needed, to avoid all being present for five days.

Mr K Sinclair (COPE, Eastern Cape) pointed out that the Workshop was due to run for four days, not five. He suggested that two days be set aside for Economic Development matters and two for Trade and International Relations matters, and the Committee be split for the purposes of attendance. He questioned on what day the Workshop would start, to allow Members to plan their other political responsibilities. He further suggested that a draft programme should be drawn up that would meet Ms Lingen’s concerns regarding wasteful expenditure, and that facilitators be asked to meet with the Committee.

Mr A Nyambi (ANC, Mpumalanga) reminded Members that at the last meeting that it was resolved that all suggestions and concerns would be directed to the organisers of the Workshop.

The Chairperson reiterated Mr Nyambi’s point and reminded Members that although using a facilitator would be preferable, it would not be possible for the facilitator to report next week as some of the Members would be on oversight.

Mr M Maine (ANC, Western Cape) reminded the Committee that at the last meeting compromises were made, and that any further suggestions should be relayed to the Chairperson of the Workshop. The matter should be closed unless the members had objections.

The Chairperson thanked Members for their input.

Adoption of Minutes of 16 February 2010
The Minutes of the meeting on 16 February were adopted.

Members’ motions
The Chairperson noted and thanked Members Mr A Nyambi and Mr K Sinclair for their motions.

Oversight visit to Limpopo and Taking Parliament to the People
The Chairperson reported that the Committee had been asked by the House Chair to visit between seven and nine mines and consider issues around the electricity crisis in Limpopo. The NCOP had ruled that only two Members per committee may attend an oversight visit. He asked the Committee to nominate two members to accompany him on the visit to Limpopo. Limpopo with him.

Members discussed nominations and agreed that it would be correct for Ms M Dikgale, to attend, as the Member(s) who represented the particular province being visited should always be included. 

The Chairperson agreed. He noted that the visit would focus on mining, but there would be other community issues. 

Mr Nyambi asked what the logic was behind sending only two members on this visit, and asked what the other Members of the Committee would do whilst some were absent in Limpopo.

The Chairperson responded that he had put the same question to the NCOP. During the initial meetings around the Limpopo visit, everyone had been under the impression that more would be attending, but only that morning had he been informed that only two Members would be sent, later revised, at his suggestion to the House Chair, to three Members (including himself). He was not clear himself on the logic for limiting the numbers. The rules of the NCOP stated that there must be a quorum of six provinces to accept any report or make any decision. The decision as to attendance was made by the NCOP and the House Chair.

Mr J Gunda (ID, Northern Cape) stated that he too found it strange that only three members of the Committee were being allowed to attend, particularly since seven or more mines were to be visited, so that it would seem preferable for more Members to attend, to provide more detailed oversight over more areas.

Mr M Maine (ANC, Western Cape) agreed and asked that it be conveyed to the House Chair that the Committee believed there were too few delegates, and that six should attend to increase the effectiveness of the visit.

Ms van Lingen enquired whether only the Select Committees or also the Portfolio Committees would be going on the oversight visit.

The Chairperson responded that only the Select Committee would attend. Originally, all seven Select Committees were to attend as a cluster, including the Select Committee dealing with Trade and International Relations, but that was now not to happen. The Cluster could have been represented by two delegates. However, this Committee would now be clustered with Public Services, Housing and Transport. He pointed out that the oversight visit to Limpopo was a project standing over from the previous year. He still needed clarity on the purpose of the visit; whether public relations or oversight.

Mr Sinclair stated that it was important to look at the context of the programme, which seemed to indicate that this was in preparation for taking Parliament to the People, not merely oversight.

Mr Gunda said that if this was so, then there was little point if the Committee still did not know what it would be doing once it was in Limpopo. If the visit was to last a week then the delegates should be collecting information, and witnessing the problems and needs on the ground, rather than being informed of them in writing. He stated that he would confront the NCOP Chair about the lack of funding for such trips, when there always seemed to be money available for less important issue. He stressed that this visit should not be seen merely in preparation for taking Parliament to the People, but should be addressing the problems and the needs of the people in those areas.

The Chairperson thanked Mr Gunda and supported his idea of taking the matter to the NCOP Chair. He suggested that a report would be drawn and circulated amongst the Members, who should convey any recommendations to the Committee Secretary.

Members agreed that the delegates should be Ms Dikgale and Ms van Lingen.

The Chairperson mentioned his concern about the electricity crisis.

The Chairperson also noted that the Director of Operations of South African Local Government Association (SALGA) was present at the meeting, and noted that SALGA had representation at the NCOP. The Committee would like to engage SALGA.

The SALGA Director requested the Members to engage with SALGA, through the Chairperson and Secretary, so that SALGA would be prepared for the Parliament to the People Project and the oversight visit to Limpopo. He mentioned that an Ad Hoc Service Delivery Oversight Committee was also busy in each of the provinces.

The Chairperson asked if SALGA would be accompanying the delegates to Limpopo, and received confirmation that a SALGA delegation would attend both in Limpopo, and during the Parliament to the People Project.

The Chairperson suggested that SALGA receive an invitation to attend the Goudini Workshop, specifically to be involved in issues around Economic Development, such as electricity and the Regional Electricity Distribution (REDs) areas. He added that municipalities had Local Economic Development Forums (LEDs) and the Committee would like to hear why some were  not using or implementing their LEDs, and SALGA’s input would be useful.

The Chairperson confirmed that the Workshop would take place from 8 to 12 March.

The meeting was adjourned.


Documents

No related documents

Present

  • We don't have attendance info for this committee meeting

Download as PDF

You can download this page as a PDF using your browser's print functionality. Click on the "Print" button below and select the "PDF" option under destinations/printers.

See detailed instructions for your browser here.

Share this page: