Division of Revenue Amendment Bill [B15-2019]: Final Mandates & Committee Report

NCOP Appropriations

26 November 2019
Chairperson: Ms D Mahlangu (ANC, Mpumalanga).
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Meeting Summary

The Select Committee met to consider the final mandates from provincial legislatures on the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill (DoRAB). Eight of the nine provinces reported that they had authorised their delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to vote in favour of the Bill. The Western Cape Legislature reported that it opposed the Bill.

The Committee also considered a draft report to Parliament on the DoRAB. It was adopted with some amendments suggested by Members.

Meeting report

The Chairperson welcomed Members and officials from Parliament and the National Treasury. She noted apologies from Mr Y Carrim (ANC, KwaZulu-Natal), Mr Z Mkiva (ANC, Eastern Cape) and Mr S Aucamp (DA, Northern Cape). She said Mr Carrim and Mr Mkiva were being represented at the meeting by Ms L Bebee (ANC, KwaZulu-Natal) and Mr M Rayi (ANC, Eastern Cape), who were alternate Committee Members.

She invited Members to present the negotiating mandates conferred on the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) delegates by the provincial legislatures and signed by the Speakers of the legislatures:

Free State’s mandate was presented by Mr M Moletsane (EFF, Free State). It said the legislature voted in favour of the Bill. 

Gauteng’s mandate, presented by Mr D Ryder (DA,Gauteng), said the legislature supported the principle and detail of the Bill, and therefore voted in favour of it. . 

Limpopo’s mandate, presented by Ms M Mamaregane (ANC,Limpopo) said the province voted in favour of the Bill. The Provincial Treasury Portfolio Committee noted adjustments made to local government conditional grants. It expressed optimism that both the national and provincial treasuries would strive to ensure that the country’s fiscus was safeguarded.

Mpumalanga’s mandate, presented by Ms D Mahlangu (ANC, Mpumalanga), said the delegation representing the province in the NCOP was conferred with a mandate to vote in favour of the Bill.

Kwazulu-Natal’s mandate, presented by Ms Bebee, said the legislature had met on 26 November and agreed to mandate the delegation to the NCOP to support the Bill.

Northern Cape’s mandate was presented by Mr Ryder on behalf of Mr Aucamp. It said the legislature voted in favour of the Bill. It attached a report by the province’s Portfolio Committee on Finance, Economic Development and Tourism.  The report said the Committee had been briefed on the Bill by National Treasury officials and by Mr Aucamp, the provincial permanent delegate to the NCOP. It had held one public hearing on the Bill. The Committee supported the Bill.

North West Province’s mandate, presented by Mr S du Toit (FF+, North West), said the legislature voted in favour of the Bill.

Eastern Cape’s mandate, presented by Mr Rayi, said it supported the Bill and mandated the permanent delegate to the NCOP to vote in favour of the Bill.

Western Cape’s mandate, presented by Mr E Njandu (ANC,Western Cape), said it conferred on the province’s delegation in the NCOP the authority to not support the Bill.

Division of Revenue Amendment Bill (DoRAB) report

The Committee considered the draft report on the DoRAB. The Chairperson said a draft report had been circulated to Members. Minor amendments suggested by them had been incorporated in the report now before them.

During brief discussions, the Committee accepted a suggestion by Mr Ryder that the report should urge that every effort be made to ensure the efficient use of a grant for dealing with backlogs in school infrastructure. The Chairperson commented that infrastructure spending in general was an important issue.

The Committee also agreed that the report should reflect concerns raised by the Mpumalanga legislature about the Moloto Road project in the province. The Chairperson said these concerns had been given priority in the mandate she had brought from the province. She asked Parliament’s senior legal advisor, Adv Frank Jenkins, whether it would be appropriate to locate these concerns somewhere in the report.

He said they should be included. The role of the NCOP was to provide a national forum for debating provincial issues.

The Chairperson then put the report to the Committee for formal adoption.

Mr Njandu moved that it be adopted, and Ms Bebee seconded the motion.

The report was adopted.

Mr Du Toit asked that it be noted that the Freedom Front Plus would oppose the Bill when it was debated in the NCOP.

The Chairperson ruled that this would not be appropriate as the meeting had been held to consider the provincial mandates on the Bill, and not the views of political parties.

The Committee then adopted the minutes of several previous meetings.

Closing remarks

The Chairperson ended the meeting by thanking all the Parliamentary staff, saying that they had assisted the Committee in dealing with a very tight schedule. She thanked them for their effort and commitment. She also thanked officials from the National Treasury and the Parliamentary Budget Office for their assistance.

The meeting was adjourned.
 

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