Committee Report on Northern Cape oversight; Election of the Acting Chairperson

Meeting report

Opening Remarks
The Chairperson welcomed all present in the meeting. He said that the purpose of the meeting was for the consideration and adoption of the Draft Report on the Oversight Visit to the Northern Cape and consideration and adoption of outstanding Committee minutes. He reminded Members that in the last Committee meeting there was agreement that Members would consider the Annual Performance Plan in their own time so that the Committee could simply adopt it today.

The agenda of the meeting today was thus, consideration and adoption of the Draft Report on the Oversight Visit to the Northern Cape, consideration and adoption of outstanding minutes and consideration and adoption of the Annual Performance Plan

Mr M Mohapi (Free State, ANC) moved for the adoption of the agenda.

Mr D Ximbi (Western Cape, ANC) seconded the move.

The agenda was adopted by the Committee.

Draft Report on the Oversight Visit to Northern Cape
The Chairperson said the Committee should go through the minutes page by page.

Ms T Mokwele (North West, EFF) said in terms of the purpose of the public awareness on page three of the Report, the Committee was not there to educate the community of the Northern Cape but rather to inform it of its constitutional right on how to submit petitions to Parliament and what the mandate of the Committee was.

Mr Mohapi said that it will be more proper to look at whether, as a Committee, they have made an impact on the community in terms of their visit. The Report should however accommodate the views of Ms Mokwele.

Mr Mohapi moved for the adoption of the report.
Mr J Mthethwa (KwaZulu-Natal, ANC) seconded the move.

The Committee adopted the Draft Report on the Oversight Visit to Northern Cape with amendments.

Draft Minutes of 30 November 2016
The Chairperson said the Committee should go through the minutes page by page. It was important for Members to adopt the minutes.

Ms Mokwele highlighted that the minutes did not have an item for “matters arising” – this should be part of all minutes of the Committee. She however did not want to delay the adoption of the minutes. The minutes could be adopted with the provision that the Committee Secretary would include a “matters arising” item.

Mr Mohapi agreed with Ms Mokwele noting that the support staff should go and check what was discussed in that meeting so that the minutes were a true reflection of what was said/occurred. 

Mr Ximbi moved for the adoption of the minutes.

Mr Mohapi seconded the move.

Ms T Wana (Eastern Cape, ANC) noted that she was recorded as absent in the minutes although she was present in that meeting.

The Chairperson said that it was because Ms Wana arrived late for that meeting, however, that will be corrected by the Committee Secretary.

The Committee adopted the draft minutes of 30 November 2016 with amendments.

Minutes of 23 February 2017
Mr G Michalakis (Free State, DA) said that the minutes indicated that the meeting started at 09h45. The meeting in fact did not start at 09h45 but an hour later because the entire Committee was absent. The meeting was therefore not a properly constituted one. It was an informal caucus of the ANC and therefore, as a Member of the Committee, he could not approve or accept the adoption of these minutes. Personally he had no problem with the election of Mr Mhlanga as an Acting Chairperson but rather with the flawed process of the meeting.  

Ms B Engelbrecht (Gauteng, DA) objected to the adoption of these minutes because she was not informed of that meeting and it was not reflected on the programme of the Committee.

Ms Mokwele said she was also not informed about the meeting although she was in Parliament. The meeting was also not reflected in the Committee programme. All Members should have been informed of the meeting. She therefore felt the minutes should not be adopted. The Committee should call a special meeting to elect an Acting Chairperson.

Mr Mthethwa felt Members did not have to engage in a lengthy debate on the issue – the process should simply be rectified to elect an Acting Chairperson.

Mr Michalakis said the Committee could deal with the matter of electing an Acting Chairperson in its next meeting.

Mr Mthethwa said Mr Mhlanga must vacate his seat and allow the Committee Secretary to conduct the process of selecting an Acting Chairperson.

Ms Mokwele felt the meeting should be adjourned instead.

Election of Acting Chairperson
The Committee Secretary then proceeded to outline the procedure to be followed in the election of the Acting Chairperson as set out in Rules 92 (1) and (2) of the National Council of Provinces read together with Rules 155 (2) (a) and (b) of the National Assembly. She opened the floor for nominations for Acting Chairperson.

Mr Mthethwa nominated Mr Mhlanga.

Mr Ximbi seconded the move.

Mr Michalikis objected by noting that the election of the Acting Chairperson was not on the agenda of this meeting and therefore made the process flawed.

Mr Ximbi highlighted that this meant this very meeting of the Committee was not procedurally correct as Mr Mhlanga was only being nominated as Acting Chairperson now.

Mr Mohapi felt it was best to adjourn the meeting.

The Committee Secretary adjourned the meeting.