Committee Report on Department Budget; Committee Programme: adoption

Meeting report

SPORT AND RECREATION AD HOC COMMITTEE
14 June 2004
COMMITTEE REPORT ON DEPARTMENT BUDGET; COMMITTEE PROGRAMME: ADOPTION

Chairperson: Ms N Ntshulana-Bhengu (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Committee programme
Committee Budget Report

SUMMARY
The Committee discussed and adopted its proposed programme, particularly focusing on the imminent workshop to be held in KwaZulu-Natal. When a quorum was eventually reached, the budget vote report was also adopted.

MINUTES
Mr C Frolick (ANC) criticised the absence of Members from any political party other than the ANC. It was agreed that the Committee's displeasure would be raised with the chief whips of the parties concerned.

The Chairperson said that as a full quorum was not present several issues on the agenda could not be discussed. She mentioned that changes had been made to the programme as a result of the new direction taken by the Minister, as well as issues identified in the budget vote and the strategic plan of the Department.

Mr Frolick queried the dates of the KwaZulu-Natal workshop and highlighted the importance of taking time to improve the Committee's relationship with the provincial Department of Sport and Recreation.

Mr C Louw asked whether the whole Committee was to attend the workshop. The Chair answered yes. To be discussed during the workshop was the Ministerial Task Team report, which detailed the merger between the Department, the South African Sports Commission and Sport and Recreation South Africa. It was crucial that all participants were clear of their role after the restructuring. Sport and recreation development, including mass-participation and school-level sports, were also on the agenda. Facilities provision was also to be discussed, and the interaction in this regard between the Department and provincial and local structures. The Chair pointed out that part of the budget traditionally set aside for "study tours" was being used for the workshop. No other comments were forthcoming. The programme was accepted. The Committee clerk was, with the assistance of the Chair and Mr Frolick, to be responsible for the practicalities and the programme of the workshop.

Mr Louw asked whether the Committee would meet with the provincial department, and was assured that all would be involved in the workshop.

Next, the Chair discussed the Cuban-South African Bilateral Agreement, and promised that copies of the Agreement would be distributed to Members. Of special import to South Africa are the Cuban models for mass-participation. In Cuba, sport was not only about "high performance", but used to a great degree for development - for health, fitness and communities' "moral regeneration". She stressed that the Members should familiarise themselves with the Agreement before the workshop, also in order to strengthen ties between the two countries.

Since there was no quorum, the budget report and the minutes of earlier meetings could not be adopted. It was decided that the Committee would reconvene later to do so when a quorum had been reached.

When the Committee reconvened later in the morning, the budget report and the earlier minutes were adopted in quick succession.

The meeting was adjourned.