Draft Committee Programme: discussion.

Meeting report

SPORT AND RECREATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
3 August 2004
DRAFT COMMITTEE PROGRAMME: DISCUSSION.

Chairperson: Mr B Komphela (ANC)

Documents handed out:
White Paper on Sport and Recreation: Revised Edition 2004

SUMMARY
The meeting involved a general discussion concerning the logistical functioning of the Committee, after which the Members suggested amendments to the draft Committee programme and minutes.

Various Members emphasised the need to liaise with local government and municipalities, as they were critical to the implementation of sporting projects. They also proposed that the Programme include a presentation by Ms M Naidoo (Recreation South Africa) to inform the Committee on implementation plans.
The capacity of USASA to ensure effective administration of school sports was queried.

The Chair suggested that the Committee identify key areas of concern and assign specific tasks to individual Members. Inspection parties ought to be split into different task teams to cover more ground. He proposed that the Committee be provided with reports documenting the findings on the various tours for adoption.
The amendments were agreed upon although no formal decision was taken due to the absence of a quorum.

MINUTES
The Chairperson highlighted the Committee's role in providing effective and meaningful oversight. In order to meet the challenges of events such as 2010 Soccer World Cup, the Committee had to ensure that its activities were carefully managed. On the issue of Friday meeting, the Rules of Parliament required Members to work a five-day week.

Mr G Mngomezulu (ANC) expressed concern over the requirement that Members be present on Fridays and suggested that this would have a negative impact on constituency work.

The Chairperson acknowledged the difficulty but pointed out that the Parliamentary programme had set aside other periods for constituency work.

Mr Mngomezulu said his constituency consisted of five magisterial districts and that the period allocated by the programme did not allow him enough time to engage adequately with constituents.

Mr T Louw (ANC) declared that the rule ought to be applied, although Chairpersons should take Members' obligations into consideration.

Mr S Louw (ANC) asserted that discussion in the Committee should focus on the details of the draft programme rather than on the availability of Members. In the light of responsibilities incurred as a consequence of hosting the 2010 World Cup, the Committee should be prepared to sit on Saturdays if necessary.

The Chairperson explained that the issue of Friday sittings had arisen due to lack of attendance and that he had been asked by the Committee of Chairpersons to remind Members that their attendance would be monitored.

Mr C Frolick (ANC) assured the Committee that Friday meetings would only be scheduled for matters that required urgent deliberation.

The Chairperson then asked for comments and suggestions on the draft Committee Programme. Mr Mngomezulu called for its adoption.

The Chairperson voiced concern regarding the activities of SETA and proposed that the Committee meet with the Department to clarify the issue. He also said that the previous Committee had initiated the study tour to KwaZulu-Natal, and he had included this in the new Committee's draft agenda.

Mr Mngomezulu pointed out that the Programme did not include details of the workshop in Johannesburg. The Chairperson explained that after consultation with Mr Doidge, Chairperson of Committees, the workshop had been postponed to give Members time to recuperate after the busy few weeks.

Mr T Louw proposed that with regards to the tour of KwaZulu-Natal, representatives from the Department of Education should be contacted along with officials from their Department. Mr Mnogomezulu agreed, as did the Chairperson. The latter again raised the example of the 2010 World Cup and said that it was imperative that sporting talent be nurtured from an early age.

Mr Frolick agreed and commended the implementation of the Cuban Model of mass participation in school sport. He also emphasised the need to liaise with local government and municipalities, as they were critical to the implementation of sporting projects. The Committee should not lose sight of the recreation aspect of their portfolio and proposed that their Programme include a presentation by Ms M Naidoo (Recreation South Africa) to inform the Committee on implementation plans.

Mr Mnogomezulu raised a concern regarding the lack of effective administration of school sports and queried whether USASA was the proper vehicle for implementing this.

Mr Frolick proposed that the Committee invite a more focused briefing with USASA to ascertain how that organisation was developing mass participation in school sports.

Mr Mtshali (ANC) was convinced that USASA was not operating effectively and pointed out that African students were not being exposed to sports other than soccer.

Mr T Louw recommended that the Committee meeting scheduled for 14 September should either be extended, or USASA's briefing should be removed from the agenda to allow for more in-depth discussion on another occasion.

The Chairperson explained that the timeframes for departmental briefings should be flexible but highlighted that the programme did allow for extended meetings with USASA. The Committee would not accept absenteeism with respect to organisations and individuals required to present information.

Mr Frolick was pleased that the draft programme included an engagement with the Football Federations and hoped that the Federations would honour their commitments with the new Committee. He also proposed the programme be amended to give the Committee an opportunity to better understand the Federation structure.

The Chairperson concurred but pointed out that the programme was intended to be a guiding document and could be adjusted.

Mr T Louw expressed regret that the Committee had been unable to meet with the Olympic Team before they departed for Athens.

The Chairperson asserted that South Africa's agreements with Cuba had be finalised and monitored by the Committee. He then proposed that they consider the Committee minutes. However, they lacked a quorum and therefore could not formally adopt the minutes.

The Chairperson highlighted the need for the Committee to liaise regularly with relevant departments to ensure their implementation strategies were in accordance the President's State of the Nation Address priorities. The departments should provide regular updates on their performance objectives.

Mr Frolick again raised the issue of the study tours and suggested that the Committee establish key areas of concern and assign specific tasks to individual Members.

The Chairperson supported this and added that inspection parties ought to be split into different task teams to cover more ground. He proposed that the Committee be provided with reports documenting the findings on the various tours for adoption. He also voiced concern over complaints regarding the use of the Newlands Sporting Complex and asserted that the Committee should intervene to make certain that there was no discrimination in sport.

Mr Frolick agreed and pointed out that whereas the Newlands community "bent over backwards" to welcome international visitors, they were far less willing to accommodate the disadvantaged in South Africa.

Mr S Louw suggested that the Committee ought to attend more international events as part of their oversight function.

The Chairperson voiced his concern at the number of Members absent from the meeting. Mr H Ndine (NNP) said it was difficult for the smaller parties to attend all the committees.The Chairperson acknowledged this but stressed that a Committee could not function with such low attendance. Due to the absence of a quorum, the Committee agreed to carry the minutes forward to the next sitting.

The meeting was adjourned.