Ad Hoc CGE: Committee report: deliberations; Committees programme

Meeting report

Introduction
The Chairperson welcomed Members and officials, and asked all present to introduce themselves.

Apologies were received from Ms A van Wyk (ANC), Mr V Smith (ANC), and Ms P Duncan (DA).

Mr David Dlali, Special Adviser to the Minister of Women, Youth, Children, and People with Disabilities, and Mr Sipiwo Matshoba, Parliamentary Liaison Officer, Ministry of Women, Youth, Children, and People with Disabilities, were present.

Also present were Mr Mukesh Vassen, Parliamentary Legal Adviser, and Ms Crystal Levendale, Parliamentary Researcher.

Adoption of the Committee’s programme for 2011, dated 02 February 2011
The Chairperson ruled that, since not enough Members were present to form a quorum, the Committee would not adopt the programme.

Adoption of the minutes of past meetings
Draft minutes of the Committee’s meeting held on Tuesday, 25 January 2011, were circulated.

No minutes were circulated for the meetings held on Wednesday, 26 January 2011 and Monday, 31 January 2011.

The Chairperson ruled that, since not enough Members were present to form a quorum, the Committee would not adopt the minutes of past meetings.

Adv S Holomisa (ANC) suggested that minutes need include only an indication of the subjects discussed together with any decisions, resolutions and adoptions of the Committee.

Deliberations of the Committee’s draft report
Copies of the Committee’s (incomplete) first draft of its report were circulated to Members.

Adv Holomisa said that there were obvious mistakes in the first draft, which should not have been presented to Members in such a condition.

Ms D Robinson (DA) said that a report should be presented in an acceptable format.

Ms Tebogo Sepanya, Committee Secretary, explained that she had worked on the report the previous Friday. She had been unable to continue her work at home, because she did not have a laptop computer. Having travelled, at great expense of time and effort, to Parliament at the weekend, she found that there was no electricity. The time at her disposal on Monday had been insufficient to complete the first draft to her satisfaction, and she apologised for the typographical errors.

The Chairperson accepted Ms Sepanya’s explanation.

Adv Holomisa proposed that the meeting should be adjourned and the Presiding Officer informed that there had been no quorum.

Ms Robinson said that a firm commitment was required from all Members of the Ad Hoc Committee.

Mr G Snell (ANC) said that the updated information given by the Office of the Auditor-General of South Africa and the Public Protector should be incorporated into the draft report.

Adv Holomisa suggested that Mr Vassen should be asked to assist Ms Sepanya in completing the first draft of the report.

The Chairperson proposed that the Ad Hoc Committee report to the Presiding Officer that the Committee could not in this meeting deliberate on its report because of the absence of Members.

Adv Holomisa supported the proposal.

The Chairperson proposed that that Members should submit their comments, corrections and suggestions for the Committee’s draft report to Ms Sepanya, who would, in consultation with the Parliamentary Legal Adviser, finalise the first draft, in readiness for the Ad Hoc Committee’s next meeting to be held on Tuesday, 15 February 2011.

Members concurred.

The Chairperson said that Members would look forward to hearing from Ms Sepanya as soon as the first draft was ready.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting.