Green Paper for Post-School Education and Training: briefing postponed

Meeting report

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, together with his delegation from the Department, was supposed to have briefed the Committee on the Green Paper for Post-School Education and Training. The Committee however spent an hour waiting on the Minister and his delegation. Members became irritated and were disappointed by the no show as the briefing on the Green Paper for Post School Education and Training was considered an important issue. Members proceeded to express their disappointment.

Mr S Radebe (ANC) said, after 25 minutes of waiting for the Minister and his delegation asked the Chairperson what the parliamentary rules stated on the issue. Members had waited long enough and he suggested that the briefing be postponed as members had other work to do instead of sitting around waiting.

The Chairperson responded that according to his knowledge, where there were delays a chairperson may allow for a period of not more than one hour to wait. A senior manager from the Department had informed him that the delay was because the Minister and the Department’s Director General were engaged in interviews with the media in another building within Parliament.

Mr S Makhubela (ANC) stated that Committee should not be subjected to this type of treatment any longer. He also suggested that perhaps the meeting should be adjourned and the briefing postponed.

The Chairperson stated that it was believed that the media briefing would conclude at 10am. He nevertheless asked members to make inputs on what they believed the Chairperson should do.

Mr Radebe pointed out that Mr Makhubela had seconded his proposal to postpone the briefing. The Minister should have informed the Committee beforehand that he would be engaged. The Committee meeting was pre-planned. He emphasised that the Committee should not be subjected to this kind of behaviour. Parliament was running a country and there was lots of work that needed to be done. He still stood by his proposal to adjourn the meeting.

Mr A Mpontshane (IFP) noted that in his 15 years as a member of the Portfolio Committee on Education this situation had never happened before. He agreed that the meeting be adjourned and the briefing postponed.

Ms A Lotriet (DA) also supported the adjournment of the meeting. The Minister must have been aware of the interviews. Members of Parliament should be respected.

Mr L Bosman (DA) agreed with the sentiments expressed by Ms Lotriet.

Mr B Bhanga (COPE) agreed with the sentiments expressed by the members. He could understand the anger of members but suggested that the Committee wait a full hour from the commencement of the meeting at 9:30am until 10:30am before postponing the meeting. Instances as the present where the Department acted irresponsibly was what caused delays in delivery. What should be ascertained was whether the Minister and his delegation would be coming to the meeting or not.

Mr C Moni (ANC) stated that ordinarily a meeting would be postponed after an hour. Members had however expressed their views that 20 minutes of waiting was enough. The Committee should postpone the meeting at present and not wait any longer.

The Chairperson informed the Committee that the Department’s parliamentary liaison officer had informed him that the Minister and his delegation were on their way. He felt it only right that the Committee had a basis for admonishing the Department. It was expected that the Department would be explaining why the delay had taken place. He urged members to wait for the arrival of the Department and to enquire why the Committee had been disrespected.

Mr Radebe felt that by waiting, the Committee would be setting a precedent for the Department to undermine the Committee.

The Chairperson stated that the Committee was in agreement that the Department would be admonished. The Department should not be given the luxury of time.

After some time Mr Bhanga announced that it was 10:30am and that the Committee had now waited a full hour. It was totally unacceptable that the Committee was kept waiting a full hour when word had been sent that the Minister and his delegation were coming. The Minister and his delegation should be taught a lesson and he suggested that the meeting be adjourned.

Whilst Mr Bhanga was speaking the Director General, Mr Qonde, made his appearance.

Mr Radebe stated that Parliament was about legislating and not about being celebrities. Why did the Minister prioritise the media above the Committee? He was very unhappy about the Committee being undermined.

Mr Makhubela wanted whatever decision the Committee took on the matter to be put on record.

The Chairperson stated that a senior Department official had informed the Committee earlier that the Minister and the Director General were holding a media briefing on government programmes. The Department’s parliamentary liaison officer had also called to say that the delegation was on their way. In anticipation of their arrival, the Committee had waited an hour. The Committee had agreed that it was inappropriate for the Department not to inform members of the media briefing. Seeing that the Director General had arrived at the meeting, he would be afforded an opportunity to explain what had happened. Thereafter the Committee could decide on the course of action.

Ms Lotriet stated that to her knowledge the meeting had been called for the Minister to brief the Committee. She asked whether the Minister had sent a formal apology to the Committee.

The Chairperson stated that the Director General would explain what had caused the delay.

Mr Gwebinkundla Qonde, Director General, apologised to the Committee for arriving late. He informed the Committee that the Minister would not be making it to the meeting. Minister Nzimande was attending a Presidential Infrastructure Co-ordinating Commission (PICC) meeting. Ministers were working hard on this. The Department had critical infrastructure projects for post school education. It was essential for the Minister to attend the PICC meeting. The main issue was student accommodation at universities. The Minister sincerely apologised for not being able to attend the meeting but had committed himself to engage with a Prof Van Rensburg on a project of his. The Minister was held up by a delay on the part of Prof Van Rensburg. The meeting with Prof Van Rensburg had to take place. Mr Qonde once again apologised on behalf of the Minister and the Department. No contempt had been intended towards the Committee.

Ms Lotriet heard what the Director General had said, but the Committee had still been considered as an afterthought. Why had the Committee not been informed about the important Ministerial meeting? If it was known, the Committee could have postponed the present meeting.

Mr Mpontshane stated that it was clear that the Committee had been relegated to the lowest rung. The Minister could have informed the Chairperson of his earlier engagements. What made the meeting with Prof Van Rensburg more important than the briefing to the Committee? Prof Van Rensburg should have been the one kept waiting. He felt that the meeting should be adjourned and the briefing postponed.

Mr Bhanga stated that Parliament was important as members were elected by the people of South Africa. He asked how many meetings on the ground had been postponed by Minister Nzimande already. What had transpired was unacceptable behaviour by the Minister. If the Minister and his delegation knew that they would not be able to attend the meeting, they could have informed the Committee. He personally did not even believe that there had been an earlier meeting, as was told to the Committee. The Minister needed to appear before the Committee to explain and apologise. The Chairperson himself had not been respected by the Minister. Apologies from government officials were not good enough; the Minister had to address the Committee himself. The briefing that was supposed to take place was the foundation of the work that had to be done by the Minister. The Minister had to start respecting people.

Mr Makhubele stated that what had happened was concerning, whatever the reasons for it may be. Already one and a half hours had passed. There was supposed to have been proper engagement. The time left to the end of the meeting would not allow proper engagement. The meeting needed to be adjourned and the briefing rescheduled.

Mr Moni stated that the Committee was wasting even more time discussing an apology. It would have made more sense for the Committee to have adjourned the meeting after one hour had passed. The Director General had apologised. The Committee had to move on.

The Chairperson stated that he could not override the wishes of the Committee. There had to be consensus on a decision taken. The consensus seemed to be adjourning the meeting and postponing the briefing. The Committee would convey its concerns in writing to the Minister and he would be expected to explain why the meeting with Prof Van Rensburg was more important. 

The meeting was adjourned and the briefing postponed.