Committee Strategic Plan: finalisation; Committee Programme: adoption

Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

19 April 2011
Chairperson: Ms D Ramodibe (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

The Committee met to consider and adopt its strategic plan, programme and outstanding minutes.

The Committee briefly discussed which countries to visit for its study tour. While Members did not make a decision about where to go, they insisted that any visit must be based on a country’s speciality and the lessons relevant to the South African situation.

The Committee agreed that they would only visit Limpopo and the Eastern Cape for their oversight visits. Members would also visit various schools in the different provinces to look at the problem of teenage pregnancy and drug abuse.

The Chairperson informed the Committee that the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) had not tabled its strategic plan; she said that the CGE had been very slack even when it fell under the Department of Justice. She instructed the Committee Secretary to right a very strong letter of concern to the CGE.

Meeting report

Committee Strategic plan
The Chairperson tabled the report for consideration and suggested that Members should start with the proposed amendments made by the research section.

Ms Kashifa Abrahams, Researcher, Parliamentary Research Unit, briefly highlighted the Committee’s planed activities and priorities.

Ms P Duncan (DA) suggested that the Committee should invite the National Youth Development Agency for a briefing on its activities.

Ms Abrahams said that the Committee should prioritise all the international treaties that were linked to the work of the Committee.

Ms Abrahams mentioned that the Committee would have to consider the list of countries that it wanted to visit for the study tour. The short listed countries were Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Germany United Kingdom and Korea. Each of those countries had different lessons for the Committee and South Africa.

The Chairperson urged the research team and the secretariat to move fast on planning for the Study Tour visit.

Ms Abrahams replied that the she would avail the study tour details on 25 April 2011 to the Committee.

The Chairperson noted that the decision about countries to visit must be based on their speciality and the lessons relevant to the South African situation.

Ms Abrahams informed Members that the letter would be sent to the National Planning Commission for a briefing on how the Commission would mainstream Gender issues.

Ms P Maduna (ANC) moved for the adoption and Ms Duncan seconded the motion. The 2011/2012 Strategic Plan was adopted with amendments.

Second Quarter Committee Programme
Ms Neliswa Nobatana Committee Secretary went through the programme page by page.

Ms Crystal Levendale, Researcher, Parliamentary Research Unit, suggested that on the 22 of June 2011 the Committee should visit Rosendale High School in Delft to look at the problem of teenage pregnancy and drug abuse.

The Chairperson asked why this school had been selected.

Ms M Manana (ANC) pointed out that there was a school in the Limpopo Province with a much higher teenage pregnancy rate and could therefore not understand Rosendal High was chosen.

Ms Levendale clarified that it was merely a suggestion, the Committee could decide which school it wanted to visit. Rosendale High School had 13 cases of teenage pregnancy in 3 months.

Ms P Lebenya (IFP) suggested that the Committee could visit more than one school, as it would be visiting three provinces.

Ms Nobatana concurred with this suggestion.

Ms M Nxumalo (ANC) said that drug abuse problem could also be covered during that week of 22- 28 June 2011.

Ms Lebenya suggested that the Committee should also look at cases of child headed homes during the oversight visits. It was a huge problem in the poorest Provinces of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Limpopo.

Ms Abrahams agreed with Ms Lebenya and said that the problem could be linked to the poverty strategy and social security.

The Chairperson informed Members that they would depart on 22 June 2011 for the visits to Limpopo, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.

Ms Abrahams explained that it would be impossible logistically to visit 3 provinces in 4 days.

The Committee agreed that it would only visit Limpopo and the Eastern Cape

The Committee adopted the programme with minor amendments.

Outstanding Minutes
The Chairperson tabled two outstanding minutes for consideration. These were dated 23 February 2011 and 3 March 3 2011. Members were satisfied with both documents and approved them without any changes.

Other Business
Ms Duncan said that she was concerned with the role of the Committee, it needed to make sure that policy and legislation were in sync to address the sectors served by the Department.

The Chairperson advised that the Committee must use the Budget, Money Act and the Department’s Strategic Plan to evaluate and scrutinise the work of the Department.

Ms Tlake asked when the Committee would be inviting Dr Crombrink to come and brief the Committee.

Ms Abrahams explained that Dr Crombrink could brief the Committee in the second or the third term.

Ms Abrahams said that there was no line function between the Ministry and the Departments of Justice or Health. That meant that the Ministry could only make recommendations. The former Office of the Status of Women in the Presidency could not make the Departments comply for ten years while it existed. She cited an example of the budget cut for crimes against children within the South African Police Services (SAPS). The Department was unable to make the SAPS comply because it had no powers.

The Chairperson suggested a meeting between the Committee and the Department to address this matter.

Ms M Tlake (ANC) concurred and added that the Committee should organise a summit with the provincial committees to thrash out issues before meeting the Department.  

The Chairperson informed the Committee that the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) had not tabled its strategic plan; she said that the CGE had been very slack even when it fell under the Department of Justice. She instructed the Committee Secretary to right a very strong letter of concern to the CGE.

The Committee Secretary advised the Committee to write a letter of concern to the Speaker of the National Assembly concerning the CGE because it was one of the Chapter nine institutions

The Chairperson reminded the Committee that it still had to consider the Kader Asmal Report on Chapter 9 institutions.

The meeting adjourned
 

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