Consideration and Adoption of outstanding Committee Minutes and Committee Programme

Meeting report

Third Term Committee Programme July-September 2012
The Chairperson went through the draft programme and mentioned that Members would be undergoing training from 24-25 July 2012. In August, the Committee together with the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry would be undertaking a joint study tour to Kenya and Vietnam to look different models of cooperatives. Each Committee was allowed to take four delegates for the study tour. The Committee also agreed to undertake an oversight visit to the Northern Cape during this session. The programme was adopted with amendments; however it was noted that further changes could be made to it.

Consideration and Adoption of Outstanding Minutes
The Chairperson tabled several outstanding minutes for consideration. He noted that some of the minutes were 5 months old and Members’ memories would have lapsed about what had been discussed so long ago. He urged the Committee to try and work faster in the future.

Minutes dated 8 February 2012
Mr B Mnguni (ANC) Free State pointed out that on page 2, under Briefing the name of Mr Zikode was misspelled as Mr Sikode.

Mr Mnguni moved for adoption and Ms E Van Lingen (DA; Eastern Cape) seconded the motion and the minutes were adopted with minor amendment.

 Minutes dated 15 February 2012
The Chairperson invited comments and amendments from Members.

Ms K Sinclair (COPE; Northern Cape) moved for the adoption, and Ms B Abrahams (ANC; Gauteng) seconded the motion.

The Chairperson noted that the above two minutes had very good recommendations, he therefore urged his Committee to do follow ups.

Minutes dated 22 February 2012
The Chairperson invited comments from Members.

After Members had briefly scanned the contents Mr Mnguni moved for adoption and Ms Abrahams seconded the motion.

The 22 February 2012 minutes were adopted without amendments

Minutes dated 29 February 2012
The Chairperson invited comments, questions and amendments from the Committee.
After the Members had gone through the minutes, Ms Sinclair moved for adoption and Ms M Dikgale (ANC; Limpopo) seconded the motion. 

The 29 February 2012 minutes were adopted without amendments.

Minutes dated 7 March 2012
The Chairperson invited comments from the floor.

Mr Mnguni pointed out a spelling error on page 3, second line from the bottom; he then substituted the word “on” for the word “of” before the word concern.

Mr Mnguni moved for adoption and Ms Sinclair seconded the motion, the 7 March 2012 was minutes were adopted with minor amendments.

Minutes dated 15 March 2012
The Chairperson suggested the substitution of the title of Mr Matjila as the Director-General rather Deputy Director-General.

Mr Mnguni moved for the adoption of the minutes and Ms Abrahams seconded the motion.

The minutes were adopted with minor technical amendments.

Minutes dated 25 April 2012
The chairperson invited comments, corrections and amendments from the Members

Mrs Dikgale moved for the adoption of the minutes and Ms Sinclair seconded the motion and the 25 April 2012 was adopted without amendments.

Minutes dated 16 May 2012
Mr Adams pointed out that his name was omitted in the list of the attendees.

Mr Mnguni moved for adoption and Ms Sinclair seconded the motion.

The 16 May 2012 minutes were adopted with minor amendment.

Minutes dated 30 May 2012
The Chairperson mentioned that the set of minutes were work in progress and they would be finished at a later date.

Mr Adams suggested that the 30 May 2012 minutes should be considered in the third quarter.

This proposal was agreed to.

Mpumalanga Oversight Report
A Member reminded the Committee that the Mpumalanga Oversight report had not yet been adopted.

The Chairperson raised his concern regarding outstanding work and said “its not on”. He then suggested that a follow up should be done in the next quarter. The Committee should do follow up on the recommendations taken up during the oversight visits to provinces so as to see whether the problems had been solved. Some visits that had been done in 2007 had never been followed up, and that was unfair to the affected communities.

Ms Van Lingen suggested that communities should compile reports on the progress regarding the actions that had to be done after visits.

The Chairperson said that the Committee should track all those progress reports.

Mr Adams mentioned that the Committee had not yet visited the Western Cape and Gauteng.

Preparations for planned oversight visits- disabled friendly buildings/ wheelchair accessibility of public and private buildings
Ms Dikgale suggested that the Committee could split into two when visiting Provinces like rural Limpopo and Eastern Cape.

Mr Adams said that he would contact the Disabled People of South Africa (DPSA) to put pressure on hospitality establishments.

Ms Van Lingen suggested that the support staff should make sure that all venues were accessible to wheelchair bound people. She cited the example of the Glen Grey Hospital in the Eastern Cape where the Chairperson could not go to other floors within that building.

Ms Dikgale suggested that the support staff should send one staff member beforehand to verify whether venues were disabled friendly.

Ms Abrahams said that it was not necessary to visit the venues physically; the support staff could simply phone to confirm that the venues catered for wheel chairs.

The Chairperson concurred with the suggestion of sending the Committee Assistant beforehand to inspect the venue a day before the Committee visit.

Upcoming Legislation
Mr Adams reminded Members that the Committee would process two pieces of Legislation on cooperatives in the forthcoming months.

The Chairperson informed the Committee that the Portfolio committee on Trade and Industry would be holding public hearings in Parliament; he then suggested that the Select Committee on Trade and International Relations should rather go to the Provinces for its public hearings.

Mr Adams said that the Department should have a whole day briefing session with the Committee on the two Cooperatives Bills.

Intellectual Property Rights on National Symbol
Ms Van Lingen said that a certain European musician with the name of Mr Helmut Lotti was collecting lots of revenue when his version of the National Anthem was played on the radio.

The Chairperson explained that the Department of Trade and Industry would brief the Committee in the near future on this matter.

The meeting was adjourned.