Public Works Portfolio Committee: Oversight Visit Reports

Meeting report

Opening Remarks
The Chairperson noted that the purpose of the meeting was to consider and adopt reports from oversight visits to three provinces, namely Kwa-Zulu Natal, Gauteng and North West.

Kwa-Zulu Natal Oversight Report
The Chairperson noted that Members had received the documents beforehand and invited them to make comments.

Ms T November (ANC) pointed out that the farm visits had been omitted from the report and enquired if there would be any follow-up visits.

The Chairperson replied that all issues concerning the farms were mentioned in the report.

Mr T Magama (ANC) and Mr P Mnguni (COPE) said that the substance of the report was fine and suggested that it be adopted.  

The Chairperson underlined the importance of the recommendations and briefly went through them.

The report was adopted without any amendments.

Gauteng Oversight Report
Mr Magama suggested that there should be two separate reports, one concerning the visit with the Department and another concerning the visits to all the state owned entities.

The Chairperson replied that the Committee had met with the Department and the Entities in the same meeting, hence the single report.

Mr C Kekana (ANC) commented that the property rates differed from one area to the other and this had an impact on the value of a particular property.

The Chairperson replied that property rates were not the problem in Gauteng.

Ms N Ngcengane (ANC) mentioned that the Government Immovable Property Act was not implemented in Gauteng.

The Chairperson suggested that the Committee should look into this matter.

Members agreed with Mr Magama’s proposal that there should be two reports and as a result they suspended the adoption of the report.

North West Oversight Report
Mr Magama pointed out that he was not part of the delegation to the North West but his name was on the delegates list.

The Chairperson noted that the report was problematic as important information had not been omitted. He therefore proposed that the report be adopted at a later stage.

Ms Ngcengane pointed out that the Bakwena Project was in Gauteng and not in the North West.

Mr Chairperson explained that the sentence attempted to say that the Bakwena Project should be an example for the North West.

Mr Mnguni pointed out that the Report did not mention the unused fleet in the North West.

The Chairperson explained that the fleet belonged to the Department of Transport and the garage belonged the Department of Public works. People could be trained in mechanics and panel beating to maintain the unused fleet. Disposal of that valuable property should be the last resort.

Mr Kekana mentioned that that the municipal leadership had a problem with some traditional leaders. The municipal leaders would connect taps for the indigent and the traditional leaders that ruled those villages did not maintain the infrastructure. Some villages had taps that were not providing water at all due to no maintenance.

The adoption of the report was suspended.

Other Matters
The Chairperson informed Members that an Iranian delegation would be visiting Parliament during the week. The Portfolio Committees on Human settlements, Science and Technology and the Committee were scheduled to jointly host the delegation. The other two Committees had since backed down. He urged Members to indicate if they would be available for this engagement as he would be in Durban to attending the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Summit that had been organised by the Department. He mentioned that the first two weeks of the fourth term was dedicated to Committees alone. The Committee could use the 19, 20 and 23 October 2010 to discuss the Budget Review and Recommendation Report.

Mr W Doman (DA) suggested that one or two Members should accompany the Chairperson to the Durban Summit because it would be dealing with important Department business.

The Chairperson replied that the he was only informed about the Summit during recess and the Department had indicated that it would only fund the trip of the Chairperson. He added that the Committee budget had been exhausted; the Committee was operating on emergency funds that had been secured from the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture.

Mr Mnguni suggested that the other two Committees that were supposed to co-host the Iranian delegation could have made other arrangements; such as meeting the Iranians the following week. He suggested that the Committee could then latch themselves into those arrangements.

Ms L Jakobus (ANC) wanted to know the purpose of the Iranian visit and who invited them.

The Chairperson replied that they were invited by the South African Parliament to strengthen ties between the two countries and their Parliaments in the field of Science, infrastructure development and housing.

Members agreed to meet the Iranians on Thursday, October 14 2010.

The meeting was adjourned