Election of Chairperson

Meeting report

Election of the Chairperson
The meeting was opened by the Committee Secretary, Ms Tyhileka Madubela. She outlined that the procedure required that the Chairperson of the Committee had to be appointed. She explained that she was going to request for nominations from Members and if only one Member was nominated, it meant that the nominated Member was going to be declared Chairperson. If there were several nominations, there was going to be a vote by a show of hands and the Chairperson was going to the Member with the majority vote. Members would only be allowed to vote once. Thereafter, Ms Madubela requested for nominations from Committee Members. 

Mr T Bonhomme (ANC) nominated Mr J Mthembu (ANC).

Ms Madubela registered the nomination and asked the Members if there was any seconder.

Mr A Mavunda (ANC) seconded the nomination of Mr Mthembu.

Mr Mthembu was honoured and accepted the nomination.

Ms Madubela asked if there were any objections or further nominations.

Mr B Holomisa (UDM) joked that the Committee could not be led by a spin doctor.

Ms Madubela informed Mr Mthembu that he had been nominated as Chairperson of the Committee.

Chairperson’s Introductory Remarks
The Chairperson thanked the Members for entrusting him with the responsibility and he promised that he would do his assigned job with the decorum and dignity it deserved. He would serve the Committee, and by extension the House and the people of South Africa, with the dignity that the task deserved.

He told Members that since many of them were quite new to the Committee, it was felt prudent that some understanding was needed on what the mandate of the Department of Environmental Affairs was. Members would be briefed on this today but in a different venue.

The meeting was adjourned.