South African Airways, Airport Company of South Africa & Destination Management Company on Involvement with World Summit on Sust

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE; FOREIGN AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE: JOINT MEETING
26 February 2002
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS, AIRPORT COMPANY OF SOUTH AFRICA & DESTINATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY ON INVOLVEMENT WITH WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: BRIEFING

Chairperson: Ms G L Mahlangu (ANC)

SUMMARY
None of the representatives from the companies responsible for organising the World Summit in Johannesburg later this year made an appearance at the meeting. The joint Committee expressed their disapproval and disappointment.

MINUTES
The Chairperson briefly announced the absence of all of those invited to brief the joint Committees. She was very disappointed and expressed her dismay at the fact that the speakers did not appear to take parliament seriously. She asked the Committee clerk if she had given the speakers notice of the meeting.

The Committee clerk replied that she had but that the company responsible had indicated that they would prefer to hold their strategic planning meeting, scheduled for next week, before appearing before the parliamentary committee. She added that South African Airways (SAA) had proposed to meet with the Committee at 11am later that day.

Discussion
Mr D J Sithole (ANC), speaking on behalf of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said that he was upset because the Committee had cancelled their regular meeting in order to hear the briefings believing it to be of high priority. He felt that the non-appearance of the speakers was “distasteful and disrespectful�, especially as the speakers were obligated to inform parliament.

Ms J A Semple (DP) of the Environmental Committee said that she agreed with the previous speaker. She suggested that the Committee meet with SAA later that day as grave concerns had been voiced about SAA's capabilities.

The Chair replied that the Committee had not met with the new CEO of SAA, Mr Viljoen, Â
since his appointment and that he would not be present at the 11am meeting in any case. She did not feel that they should reconvene at 11am.Â

Ms L R Mbuyazi (IFP) expressed her agreement with the opinions voiced by the other members. She was surprised that a speaker present at a parliamentary meeting the previous day could not make it to this meeting.

The meeting was adjourned the meeting.