Election of Committee Chairperson

NCOP Finance

26 June 2019
Chairperson: Mr Y Carrim (ANC, KwaZulu-Natal)
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Meeting Summary

The Committee embarked on a process of electing a Committee Chairperson. Members were required to nominate possible candidates for the post of Committee Chairperson. The only nomination made was that of Mr Y Carrim (ANC, KwaZulu-Natal) and he was duly elected as Committee Chairperson.

Mr Carrim humbly accepted the position and commented that he hoped the Committee would work together towards SA’s national common interests given the perilous state of SA’s economy. He appealed to members to as far as possible co-operate with one another. He wished members well for the road ahead.

Meeting report

Election of Committee Chairperson
The Committee Secretary Mr Zolani Rento temporarily chaired the meeting and welcomed members to the first meeting of the Committee, the purpose of which was to elect a Committee Chairperson. The election of Committee Chairperson was in terms of Rule 91 of the National Council of Provinces’ (NCOP) Rules. He explained that the procedure for the election of Committee Chairperson would firstly entail calling for nominations from members. If there was only a single nomination and no other members were nominated then there was no need for voting to take place. If however there was more than one nomination then the matter would have to be put to a vote. He opened the floor to members for nominations.

Mr T Matibe (ANC, Limpopo) nominated Mr Y Carrim (ANC, KwaZulu-Natal) for the position of Committee Chairperson.

Mr M Moletsane (EFF, KwaZulu-Natal) and Mr F du Toit (FF+, North West) both wished for it to be recorded that they abstained from current proceedings.

Ms D Mahlangu (ANC, Mpumalanga) seconded Mr Carrim’s nomination.

The DA did not express any objection to Mr Carrim’s election as Committee Chairperson. 

Mr Carrim humbly accepted his position as Committee Chairperson and proceeded to make a brief statement. He noted that both the Finance Select Committee and the Appropriations Select Committee were Committees which had the heaviest loads. Many of the same members served on both Committees. He suggested that the Committee have briefings on the Money Bills Act. The Money Bills Act set deadlines and timeframes for the Committee’s work. He had been serving on parliament’s committees since 1998 and admitted that as part of the Standing Committee on Finance he had to a certain extent contributed towards polarisation in that Committee. Be that as it may he hoped that the Committee would work together towards SA’s national common interests given the perilous state of SA’s economy. He appealed to members of both Committees to as far as possible co-operate with one another. He wished to point out that in the parliamentary committees that he had served on public hearings had been allowed to continue up until the time that voting took place on a particular bill. He felt that Parliament after all belonged to the people. He asked that members of the Committee think about the aforementioned practice. He encouraged the opposition to discuss the merits of allowing this practice to continue in the Committee as well. He did not wish for the Committee to be too rigid like a conveyor belt of sorts. Dialogue and discussion needed to be encouraged and should be the norm. There was a need also to show that parliament was accountable and open. Having always served on National Assembly Portfolio Committees he had until recently only realised how complex and challenging the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) was.

Mr D Ryder (DA, Gauteng) on behalf of the DA congratulated Mr Carrim on his appointment as Committee Chairperson. He looked forward to working together with the rest of the Committee members. He agreed that with the current South African economic climate more robust interaction was needed. He saw a great deal of room for discussion. There was also a stronger need for better oversight.

Mr Matibe, on behalf of the ANC, congratulated Mr Carrim on his appointment.

Mr du Toit, on behalf of the FF+, also congratulated Mr Carrim on his appointment.

Mr Carrim said that in no way was anybody being co-opted. Members represented their constituencies and everyone was looking out for the best for South Africa as proud South Africans. He had since 1998, in all the committees that he had served on, observed that members had not been very formal. He was free to be contacted at any time. He was sure that members of the Committee would find each other. The idea was to get the work done. He had in his experience found that there were experts amongst members of parliament in particular fields even amongst members of the DA. The DA had expert accountants and tax people serving as members. It was these types of resources that committees needed to take advantage of. He wished members well for the road ahead.

Mr Ryder asked whether the Committee was meeting the following week.

Mr Carrim said that he would concur with the Committee Secretary as the Committee was still awaiting the Committee Programme from the NCOP. The first thing that the Committee would deal with would be the Money Bills Act. The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) would also brief the Committee on what it did. The Committee Secretary would keep members posted on the Committee’s programme.

The meeting was adjourned.


 

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