Marriage Bill: Preparations for Eastern Cape provincial hearings

Meeting report

The Chairperson told the Committee that the meeting would be brief. The purpose was to receive final reports on logistics and allow members to raise any concerns. No issues were expected since officials had been informed of the dates in advance. The communications team would report on their public engagements, and the education team would also give their update.

Public Engagements Update
Mr Adam Salmon, Committee Content Advisor, informed the Committee that public engagement staff had been deployed since the start of the week. They have participated in engagements across all three districts that will be visited.

• In OR Tambo District, there have been 13 public engagements, reaching 539 people and distributing 1,140 publications. Announcements were also made on community radio stations.
• In Chris Hani District, nine engagements have been held, reaching 179 people, distributing 570 documents, and securing three interview slots on community radio stations.
• In Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, there have been eight engagements, reaching 240 people and distributing 468 publications. More publications are still available for distribution, and an announcement has been made on community radio to increase these numbers.

Public engagements are ongoing, with additional sessions planned in all three districts over the weekend.

Public Education and Leadership Engagements
The public education team has engaged with a range of stakeholders, including municipal and traditional councillors, church leaders, ward committees, health workers, men’s forums, Family and Marriage Society of South Africa (FAMSA), the Department of Home Affairs, the South African National Civic Association (SANCO), the Department of Social Development, Non-Governmental Organisations, persons with disabilities, the LGBTQI+ community, and the Moral Regenerative Movement.

Parliamentary democracy officers have reached out to traditional leaders. They attempted to schedule a meeting with the King in the OR Tambo District, but he will not be available on the morning of the public hearing. Meeting him in the afternoon would add two extra hours to the Committee’s travel time, and the Committee must decide whether to proceed. In Komani, the Committee will meet the local chief immediately after the hearings. In Nelson Mandela Bay, the Committee can visit the chief’s home before the public hearing to announce its presence in the district.

Engagements have also been made with Khoi-San leaders, the provincial legislature, the premier’s office, and the municipalities of OR Tambo, Chris Hani, Enoch Mgijima, and Nelson Mandela Bay. Some councillors indicated they had other commitments during the visit.

Logistics and Travel Plan

• Sunday, March 23: The Committee will travel to East London and then to Umthatha, staying at Mayfair Hotel.
• Monday, March 24: Check out, attend public hearings at Umthatha Hall (10 AM – 3 PM), then travel to Komani and check in at Queen’s Casino.
• Tuesday, March 25: Public hearings at Thobi Kula Indoor Sports Centre (10 AM—3 PM).
• Wednesday, March 26: Travel to Port Elizabeth. A hybrid meeting on political party funding limits may take place (To be confirmed).
• Thursday, March 27: Public hearings at Daku Hall.
• Friday, March 28: Return travel.

Other Arrangements

• Language Services: Interpretation of IsiXhosa, Afrikaans, and sign language will be provided.
• Protection Services: A travel plan has been submitted, and security arrangements are in place for the entire visit.
• Lunch Break: Scheduled from 2 PM to 3 PM, but timings may adjust based on attendance and proceedings.
• Venue Logistics: Venues have been inspected, and arrangements for chairs, toilets, tables, and gazebos are complete. The Safety and Health Department’s report is still outstanding.

Mr Malatswa Molepo, Parliamentary Communications Services, said that Mr Sakhile Mokwena would attend the public hearings with the Committee in his place.

Mr Salmon added that all hearings would be streamed live on YouTube and other social media platforms.

Mr A Roos (DA) asked why chiefs and traditional leaders were not involved in the public participation and education process with their communities. He noted that it would be difficult to fully brief a chief on the content without their direct participation in the public hearings. He also asked whether traditional leaders were engaged beforehand to ensure their communities were involved and understood the legislative process.

Ms Thandi Phithi, Parliamentary Public Education Services, responded that public hearings are usually held in villages where chiefs are present and actively participate. Visits to chiefs’ homes are simply a courtesy.

Mr Thursten Arendse, Parliamentary Help Desk Operator, reported that accommodation arrangements were complete.

Rev K Meshoe (ACDP) pointed out that the list of stakeholders included men’s forums but did not mention women’s forums. He acknowledged that men have issues separate from women but noted that women may also have concerns that do not involve men. He asked why women’s forums were not included.

Mr Salmon replied that he was unsure why women’s forums were not included, as the communication was sent to all stakeholders.

The Chairperson noted that this should be considered for future stakeholder engagements. He emphasised the need to reach more people through public hearings and to strengthen the media component, especially by increasing interactions with radio stations and other media platforms.

Mr Molepo agreed with the Chairperson, noting that Communications Services has been working towards this goal. For example, the Whip is scheduled for an interview on Umhlobo Wenene, a radio station with an average listenership of over 5 million people.

He acknowledged a challenge in which the Public Education Unit and Communications Services sometimes approach the same radio stations, which can appear disorganised. To address this, the team has decided that the Public Education Unit will lead the engagement with community radio stations.

He added that they may need to expand their reach in Mpumalanga and allow the Communications Team to assist the Public Education Unit. In collaboration with Media Management and Public Education, Communications Services plans to purchase airtime for a community-in-church programme. This show will air on about 60 community radio stations, giving listeners an hour to call in and engage directly with the Chairperson.

The Chairperson added that different Committee members would be assigned to various platforms to raise awareness about the public hearings and the purpose of the Bill. He emphasised that the Bill is not a decision made by Parliament or the Committee alone. Instead, engaging with stakeholders, including constituencies, political parties, and civil society is a shared responsibility.

Ms B Machi (IFP) clarified that men’s forums have always existed in all municipalities. However, meetings with women typically take place as part of broader gatherings. She added that the Committee should not criticise the staff for something that does not exist.

Ms Phithi explained that women’s forums were not listed as stakeholders because no such formal structure exists. However, women attend public hearings and raise their concerns about the Bill.

The Chairperson suggested making a greater effort to ensure that all stakeholders, including women, are recognised as important in discussions on the Bill.

The Chairperson also thanked everyone involved in the preparations.

The meeting was adjourned.