Western Cape joint oversight visit: preparations

Meeting report

On behalf of the Committee, the Chairperson conveyed condolences to Committee Members, Mr Mohammed Dangor, who had lost his wife and Mr Eric Landsman, who had lost two family members.

Preparations for Western Cape oversight visit
Committee Secretary, Ms Grace Dinizulu, provided an update on the logistics for oversight visit. It would be undertaken jointly with the Select Committee on Trade, Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour from 17 to 20 August 2021. Members would be meeting at City of Cape Town Civic Centre from which Parliament transport would take them to the oversight sites.

17 August 2021
From 9:00 to 11:00: meeting at the Council Chamber with City of Cape Town, Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Transport and various other officials.

From 13:30 to 15:00: visit to a transport project in Du Noon.

From 15:30 to 17:00: visit to a Public Works project in Parow.

18 August 2021
From 9:30 till 11:00: site visit in City of Cape Town to two projects, Sigma International (Pty) Ltd and Honest Chocolate. In the afternoon, the Committees will visit the Bellville Labour Centre.

19 August 2021
The oversight of the day will take place at Saldanha Bay Local Municipality.

At 9:00 the Committees will meet with Executive Mayor of West Coast District Municipality and Mayor of Saldanha Bay Local Municipality.

From 10:00 the Committees will meet with Blue Sapphire and visit Saldanha Bay Harbour.

From 14:00 to 17:00 the Committees will meet with West Coast District Municipality, Saldanha Bay Local Municipality, Western Cape Department of Economic Development, Saldanha Bay.

20 August 2021
The Committees will do a half-day site visit at the West Coast National Park.

Discussion
The Chairperson said Members need to make their own travel arrangements to get to Cape Town.

Ms S Boshoff (DA, Mpumalanga) asked what time Members would be picked up from their units in the parliamentary villages on 17 August.

Ms M Moshodi (ANC, Free State) noted that sometimes the driver did not know at which units Members resided. Although she had learnt this morning that her brother-in-law had passed away, she confirmed she would still be part of the oversight visit.

The Secretary replied that the person in charge of logistics was not on the virtual platform as he was getting a COVID-19 test. From what he understood, the logistics person would communicate with Members on the time they would be picked up. She asked Members to message their parliament village unit numbers to the support team.

The Chairperson asked if the Cape Town taxi associations would be invited to the meeting.

The Secretary replied that there had been no indication from the Committee Chair that the Committee intended to invite the taxi associations while the team prepared the logistics.

The Chairperson said that since the Western Cape Department of Transport would be there, Members would be able to get more clarity on the current taxi violence.

Mr T Brauteseth (DA, KZN) asked if COVID-19 protocols would be observed and how many people would be allowed on the Parliament vehicle.

The Secretary assured Members that a number of measures had been put in place to ensure safety on the oversight visit including the social-distancing rule in the vehicle. The City of Cape Town Council Chamber had only a current capacity of 50 people to ensure social distancing among visitors.

Mr Brauteseth requested that the driver be advised to travel within the speed limit as this had always been a concern to him over the past oversight visits.

Ms Boshoff agreed and recalled hair-raising moments when Parliament’s driver was travelling at 160 km per hour during the last oversight visit. As the Committee was set on adhering to COVID-19 protocols, she asked if Members were to travel with their own vehicle, would they be compensated for fuel costs.

The Secretary replied that Members using their own transport for oversight visits would normally be compensated for fuel costs provided that Parliament has not arranged transport. But if transport is arranged, it is different. He would check with Parliament’s management team as the situation is different as we were living under COVID-19 and there are health protocols to adhere to.

The Chair asked about the Committee’s interactions with other relevant stakeholders such as the Premier, Mayor of Cape Town and provincial ministers.

The Secretary confirmed that the team had communicated with stakeholders. The Chairpersons of the Western Cape Parliament Committees on public transport, public works, economic opportunities and tourism and local government all had confirmed that they would be part of the meeting. Parliament’s team has also communicated with City of Cape Town as it was the host. The City of Cape Town responded that they would host the committee. Although the Mayor had tendered an apology and would not be part of the oversight visit, he has requested one of the councillors to head the delegation. There was also an apology received from the Western Cape transport provincial minister. Parliament’s team has also communicated with all the sector departments nationally.

The Committee support staff requested Members inform them who would be using their own transport so that the support team. The reimbursement would come off the committee budget. As this oversight visit would involve quite a lot of travelling, the amount Members claim would need to be verified by Parliament as well.

Ms Boshoff confirmed that she would be travelling with Mr Brauteseth and Mr Londt in her vehicle. As she had GPS installed in her car, it indicates travelling mileage and would not claim extra mileage from Parliament.

Mr M Rayi (ANC, Eastern Cape) noted that as many airlines are grounded, he suggested Members book flights in advance. To his knowledge, FlySafair and FlyAirlink are still operational. Members must leave by 7am due to traffic congestion in Cape Town.

Ms Boshoff added that Lift Airline also flies between Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The Chairperson remarked that it seemed logistics for the oversight visit were in order. Members would receive project profiles and presentation materials on time so they could familiarise themselves with the content and have meaningful engagements in the meetings.

Third term Committee Programme: Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour
The Secretary noted that the third term programme had been extended for an additional two-week period for the NCOP.

From 17 to 20 August, the Committee would conduct its Western Cape oversight visit.

On 24 August the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition would brief the Committee on interventions and support to distressed businesses affected by unrest in KZN and Gauteng.

On 31 August the Department of Small Business Development would brief the Committee on its interventions and support to distressed businesses in KZN and Gauteng.

On 7 September the Eastern Cape Development Corporation and Buffalo City Development Agency would brief the Committee.

On 14 September the Tourism Policy Review Panel would brief the Committee.

Mr Rayi, Chairperson for that Select Committee, noted that the Committee Report on its oversight visit to KZN and Gauteng would be tabled at the 25 August NCOP plenary. This meant the oversight report needs to be adopted before 25 August. He proposed that the Committee meet on Tuesday 24 August at 6pm to consider and adopt the report in preparation for the plenary.

The Committee adopted this programme.

Third Term Committee Programme: Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works
The Committee Secretary, Ms Hlupheka Mtileni, outlined the committee programme:

From 17 to 20 August, the Committee would conduct its Western Cape oversight visit.

On 1 September, the Committee would receive a briefing on the charter establishing the Southern Africa Development Community Aviation Safety Organisation.

On 8 September, the Committee would receive a briefing from Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) on the refurbishment of railway infrastructure.

On 15 September, the Committee would receive a briefing and consider the draft regulations of the National Road Traffic Act.

The Committee Programme was adopted.

The Chairperson concluded the meeting by thanking Members for their commitment to their work during the pandemic. This Committee was dedicated to execute its oversight role and to hold the executive accountable.

Meeting adjourned.