Clarke & Botha petitions; Committee Programme

Meeting report

PRIVATE MEMBERS' LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS AND SPECIAL PETITIONS STANDING COMMITTEE
6 March 2002
CONSIDERATION OF PROGRAMME; PROPOSAL BY INKOSI M W HLENGWA; PETITION OF MR GC CLARKE AND PETITION OF MRS M BOTHA

Chairperson: Mr PAC Hendricks

Documents handed out:
Proposed legislation: Patents Amendment Bill
Proposed legislation: Medical Schemes Amendment Bill

Consideration of Programme
The Committee adopted the programme as definitive.

Proposal by Inkosi Hlengwa
Inkosi Hlengwa was not available. The item was postponed until further notice upon the availability of Inkosi Hlengwa.

Petition of Mr GC Clarke
The Chairperson informed the Committee that he had asked the Chief Whip to put the matter on the order paper again this year as soon as possible. He also informed the Committee that he was told Mr Clarke was not doing very well. The Committee agreed to speed up the process.

Petition of Mrs M Botha
The Chairperson informed the Committee that there was a misunderstanding between them and the National Treasury. The Committee had asked the National Treasury to assist them in recommending the amount that would be paid to Mrs Botha. However, in response the Chief Director of Pension refused to involve himself in the matter. The Chairperson emphasised that the Committee was not asking for approval but assistance for guidelines in determining the amount that Mrs Botha would be paid. One Member expressed his dissatisfaction about the tone of the Chief Director of Pensions' letter and regretted that the Committee could not get the necessary and valuable help. Other Members agreed with him. It was resolved that Mrs Botha's money will be discussed during the workshop and the Committee will insist that the Chief Director's office help them in with the guidelines that would be used to reach that figure. Mrs Botha's money will be paid from the National Revenue Fund after being approved by the National Assembly.

Proposed legislation
The Committee was given two pieces of proposed legislation. One was an Amendment to the Patents Act 1978 (Act 57 of 1978) submitted by Ms Sandy Kalyan (DP). The other was an Amendment to the Medical Schemes Act 1988 (Act 131 of 1998) submitted by Mr BG Bell (DP). The Chairperson proposed that the two submissions be discussed in future as Members had just received them. The proposal was accepted.

The meeting was adjourned.