Committee Programme 2001

PUBLIC SERVICE SELECT COMMITTEE
14 February 2001
COMMITTEE PROGRAMME 2001; PROVINCIAL STUDY TOURS

Chairperson: Ms Majodina

Documents handed out:
Draft committee programme: February to June 2001 (awaited)
Chairperson's report on transport meeting: Indibano

SUMMARY
It was agreed that the committee will visit two provinces on 27 - 28 February 2001: one group will go to the Eastern Cape and the other to the Northern Province. KwaZulu-Natal was identified as a province that needs urgent attention, with other provinces following thereafter.

MINUTES
Mr Ndzunga (ANC) commented that on tours to the provinces, the Committee should not visit one department but look at other areas like Housing and Public Works as well. The aim of the visits should be to hear from the constituencies what the problems are on the ground.

The Chair said she had spoken to various Committees for them to be part of the delegation of study tours to the provinces. They have received a response from Housing and it is possible other committees will follow suit.

Ms Ntwanambi (ANC) suggested visiting another rural province such as the Northern Province.

The Chairperson agreed, "we can divide ourselves into two, one group can go to the Eastern Cape and the other to the Northern Province".

Mr Suka (ANC) said that the principle should be that all provinces are visited. Provinces like Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal have serious problems as well.

Mr Maloi (ANC) suggested that the Committee identify the key issues it wants to investigate in the provinces before going there.

Mr Mokoena (ANC) said that provinces like the Eastern Cape and the Northern Province have no proper roads, and these visits will help identify similar problems. He supported utilising the money allocated to the Committee for inspecting provinces as a way that their Committee can ensure delivery.

Mr Mkhalipi (ANC) said the objective to visit all provinces should be the Committee's main priority.

Ms Thompson (ANC) complained that people are talking about priorities, nothing is said about KwaZulu - Natal. She said if you talk about KwaZulu - Natal you talk about all the diseases found in this country, "Cholera is there, foot and mouth disease is there, and HIV/Aids is also there". She urged the Committee to make KwaZulu - Natal their next priority.

Committee members agreed that KwaZulu - Natal needs to be prioritised.

In conclusion the Chairperson noted the need for a strategic workshop on their return from the provincial visits to ascertain what she referred to as "the inputs and outputs of the visits"