Committee Reports: Mthatha Correctional Centre; Diepkloof Police Station

Meeting report

Committee Annual Report 2015/16
The Chairperson took the Committee through the report page by page.

On page 20, Mr G Michalakis raise a concern about normal committee meetings costing R 500. Is that for the food?

The Chairperson responded that it is for food. Some Committee members travel far from where they reside, waking up in the morning without breakfast. It is vital to have it here in the chambers of parliament before the meeting takes place.

Mr G Michalakis (DA) responded to the Chairperson that he gets paid a million rand annually, surely he can afford his own food?

The Chairperson continued paging through the 30-page report. He then asked if they could adopt the report.

Mr M Mohapi (ANC) agreed to this and thanked the secretariat for one of the best annual reports of all the parliamentary committees.

Ms T Wana (ANC) commented that the Committee needs clarity on the bills – how they can be managed and which are priority.

The Chairperson agreed that the bills need to be prioritised and they need to check with the other departments they oversee. The Committee needs to evaluate itself about the bills it passes.

Ms B Engelbrecht said this concern is not urgent.

Ms Wana said the Committee needs to push for the Cybercrime Bill because our country is faced with a high crime rate. South Africa is rating number two on criminal statistics in the world? As a Committee we need to understand how other countries deals with such incidents. The Committee must study other countries that are doing well in dealing with these issues.

Ms Engelbrecht agreed that they prioritise this piece of legislation.

Mr Mohapi said the Cybercrime Bill should be prioritized. He is also interested in the SAPS Amendment Act and the White Paper needs to be prioritised.

The Chairperson noted the suggestion that the Department must reprioritise some of the Bills.

Mr Michalakis raise a concern about accountability. On the strength of the oversight visit, he would like the Committee to consider a suggestion.

The Chairperson responded that he could raise this at the end of the report. He noted the reference to the international tour. The Committee needs to compare South Africa with other countries; there are a lot of matters that need to be compared.

Mr M Mhlanga (ANC) said this has been a long standing issue. His concern is what the Committee is going to focus on. The Committee needs to prioritise on that – whether it will be public order – they need to be guided by the research on this.

The Chairperson said he remembers the last time they had a discussion on this, the Committee said Justice, Police and Correctional Services.

Ms G Manolope (ANC) said her concern is about the last meeting. It was based on that, so why is the Committee reversing that now?

The Chairperson said the Committee has agreed collectively to add onto what already existed.

Ms Manolope said the last speaker raised an issue. It was agreed that this proposal would be based on the research documents at their last meeting. Why waste time, we need time management there.

Ms Wana seconded Ms Manolope. They cannot start any decision without the research documents. The Committee should not forget that it consults.

The Chairperson said he did not think it would cause any problem. Those that still need the research documents can be sent those documents.

Mr Mhlanga said he wanted to be sure about the research on areas that we need to focus on.

The Chairperson asked the Committee to adopt the Committee Annual Report 2015.

The Committee adopted the report.

Mr Michalakis said that he was happy with report, there is just one oversight suggestion he would like to make. Generally, they do not include the defence portfolio for oversight visits. The Committee should do an oversight visit because Committee members cannot individually make oversight visits on national key points. He suggested visiting Langebaan and Hoedspruit. There are 10 air force bases in the country but those two are the ones that focus on training pilots. He did raise a written question with the minister about pilot training. The minister did mention that it is a challenge for the defence force to train pilots and they are also losing a lot of skills. That is a key issue for the defence force and to assist the Defence Department as well to ensure we reach our objections in the defence. It would be good to encourage those two air bases to go and see what the challenges are and how the Committee can help them. Specifically those bases where the training take place as the defence force is losing skills and the Committee needs to ensure it is attracting new skills so that it is viable for the future. Langebaan is just outside Cape Town. It would not cost much and they cover the basic and advanced training. With those two bases we can come up with useful recommendations to help with the problem. He thought it would be necessary for the Committee to do oversights visit within the Defence Department.

The Chairperson asked if all members agreed to that. Such a concern has never been raised before. He thanked the member for raising this concern. Our focus will be dispersed across the country.

Mr Michalakis said Hoedspruit is in Limpopo and Langebaan is right here in Western Cape. The reason he chose the two airbases is because the two bases focus on training. The one is doing basic training and the other advanced training. The fact that they are in Limpopo and Western Cape is not the concern, the defence force is a national concern. The Committee will ultimately go to other air force bases, but those two are the key ones.

Mr M Mohapi requested clarity for the Committee.

The Chairperson said there are a lot of things that the Committee needs to check on. He referenced the Correctional Services tender raised in the media.

Mr M Mhlanga said that the Committee needs to focus on areas that are not working. The matter of the tender in Correctional Services is with the executive currently. It is also our responsibility to be concerned about that matter. The Chair must propose a joint meeting with the Portfolio Committee, we must not rely on one approach, and the Committee needs different approaches on this matter. The Committee must adopt an approach.

Mr Michalakis supported the suggestion. He would like to ask that after the elections, the sooner they can get to those air force bases, the better it would be.

Mr Mohapi suggested the Committee invite the minister before the Committee even goes out to the bases.

The Chairperson said they had invited the minister previously and the minister was not available. They had decided to go on their own and when the minister is ready, he can meet with the Committee.

Committee Reports on Mthatha Medium Correctional Centre Eastern Cape / Diepkloof Police Station
The Chairperson took the Committee through the two reports.

The Committee approved the reports.

Committee Minutes
The Committee approved the minutes of the 16 March, 6 and 13 April 2016 with amendments.

Mr Mohapi raised a concern about a gap in one set of minutes, saying that the Committee needs to capture its resolutions. There was a question from the Committee that still needed an answer from the Department.

The Chairperson said the Committee has discussed that concern previously.

Mr Mohapi clarified that when we pose questions to the department they never answer all the questions we raise. If they would only answer all the questions we raise, the Committee would be fine with fine with that. He wanted to make a follow up on this.

The Chairperson said Mr Mohapi had captured an important point. The Committee needs to make a follow up when it has requested something. The Committee has to have the details.

The meeting was adjourned.