Election of Chairperson

Meeting report

Election of Chairperson
Mr Jerry Boltina, Committee Secretary, opened the meeting by stating that the purpose of the meeting was to elect a Committee Chairperson. He called for nominations from Members.

Ms L Makhubele-Mashele (ANC) nominated Ms B Ngcobo (ANC) as a candidate for Committee Chairperson.

Ms P Adams (ANC) seconded the nomination.

No other nominations were forthcoming from the rest of the members.

Ms Ngcobo accepted the position as Committee Chairperson. She thanked members for the confidence that that they had in her to fill the position. She said that it was the beginning of the Committee’s hard work. The aim was to make tourism grow and to be of value to South Africans.

Other Matters
Ms Ngcobo was congratulated all round on her appointment by her fellow committee members.
She stated that as members of parliament the Committee had to push the agenda of parliament. The idea was to improve the lives of South Africans through tourism. Tourism should be seen as a gateway to improve peoples’ lives. Employment opportunities in tourism should increase. She informed members that Friday was the designated working day assigned to the Committee.

Mr A Whitfield (DA) asked whether the Committee would be meeting on Friday the 27 June 2014.

Mr Boltina said that the Committee Secretariat would be meeting with the Chairperson to arrange the Committee’s Programme.
He added that Thursday, 26 June 2014 and Friday, 27 June 2014 had been reserved for the training of members on the issue of budget votes. The Committee’s first working meeting would be on 4 July where the National Department of Tourism would be meeting with the Committee.

Mr G Krumbock (DA) asked whether the upcoming Friday 27 June 2014 training day was for debate amongst committee members or was it for the training of members of parliament by officials of departments on the issue of budget votes.

Ms Ngcobo responded that that Friday 27 June 2014 had been set aside for the training of members on the issue of budget votes.

Mr Krumbock asked why the Committee meetings had been shifted to a Friday when it had always been on Tuesdays.

Ms Ngcobo explained that like many other parliamentary committees the Portfolio Committee on Tourism had its meetings scheduled for Fridays according to the parliamentary programme. There were ofcourse committees who had their meetings scheduled for Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Mr Krumbock asked whether it was possible to shift the Committee’s meeting day to a Tuesday.

Ms Ngcobo did not think it was possible as the parliamentary programme had been set.

Mr J Vos (DA) pointed out that most of the members of the Committee were from outside the Western Cape and as such did most of their work outside the province. Was it not possible to shift the Committee’s meetings to a Tuesday as it would be more convenient?

Ms Ngcobo responded that the parliamentary programme had been prearranged. She once again stated that she did not think it was possible to move the Committee’s meetings to a Tuesday.

Mr Vos asked whether the meeting scheduled for the 4 July 2014 was a budget committee meeting.

Ms Ngcobo explained that the National Department of Tourism would be briefing the Committee on its Strategic Plan and Budget on 4 July2014.

Mr Vos asked whether it was possible in the current meeting to add items to the agenda of the meeting scheduled for 4 July 2014.

Ms Ngcobo said that items could be added to the agenda of the meeting scheduled for 4 July 2014 at the meeting itself.

The meeting was adjourned.