Adoption of Committee Programme

Documents handed out:
Draft committee programme for 1999 (attached to end of minutes)
Seminar on Parliament and Defence Oversight: Draft programme description and draft programme schedule.

SUMMARY
The broad principles behind the draft programme were accepted. It was noted that as the committee covers a huge area of government it would have to prioritize the legislation and issues it felt most important to the provinces.

MINUTES
The chairperson Mr J. Mahlangu noted that the committee is expected to deal with several government departments, most obviously Justice and Constitutional Development, Safety and Security, Defence, and Correctional Services, as well as the Joint Standing Committees on Intelligence and Defence. As many of these areas will be producing substantial legislation this session it can only be expected that the committee will be overwhelmed. Mr Mahlangu said that he had been in discussion with ministries and committees to try and streamline this committee's involvement with them. It is important that this committee has a positive influence on the legislation expected to occur. Hopefully the various departments and portfolio committees will keep this committee informed of the meetings members should attend. To this end the Department of Defence has already sent the committee information on its programme.

Mr M. Moosa (ANC, Gauteng) spoke of the need for prioritisation of the committee's work. Referring to the thirteen pieces of legislation in the draft programme he said that those with the biggest impact on the provinces should be the committee's priority. He identified these as; (i) Open Democracy Bill, (ii) Amendment of Customary Law of Succession Bill, (iii) Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill and (iv) Firearms Control Bill. Further the committee must also prioritise which portfolio committees it should most keenly oversee. For example Safety and Security will have a greater impact on provinces than Defence.

Mr C. Ackermann (NNP, Western Cape) agreed with the sentiments Mr Moosa had expressed and pleaded the special case of minority parties who would be even more over-stretched than the ANC. He requested that the committee secretary and chairperson should produce reports on briefings attended and make these available to all.

Mr L. Lever (DP, North-West) also agreed with Mr Moosa but said that the committee's priorities could not ignore those pieces of legislation that are a priority in constitutional terms. The Review Powers of Courts Bill (Administrative Justice) and the Equality Legislation must be passed according to a constitutional requirements and timeframes.

Mr Mahlangu accepted these concerns and agreed that the committee would fail to do anything if it tried to do everything. He stated that the most pressing priority was the Open Democracy Bill. Committee members should attend meetings relating to the Bill as there must be provincial input into it. The principles behind the draft programme were accepted and it will be open to change as the committee decides its priorities and as Bills are tabled in parliament.

Appendix 1:
SELECT COMMITTEE ON SECURITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS DRAFT PROGRAMME FOR 1999

WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 1999
Time : 14:00 - 16:00
Venue : Committee Room S35, First Floor, NCOP Wing
Agenda : Adoption of committee programme

FRIDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 1999
Time : 10:00 - 17:00
Venue : Committee Room E249, Second Floor, National Assembly Wing
Agenda : Civil Military Relations Seminar

MONDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 1999
Time : 10:00 - 13:00
Venue : To be confirmed
Agenda : Defence Bill
(Joint with PC on Defence)

WEDNESDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 1999
Joint Standing Committee on Defence
Time : 09:00 - 12:30
Venue : Committee Room S35, First Floor, NCOP Wing
Agenda : Budget briefing

WEEK OF 27 SEPTEMBER 1999 - CONSTITUENCY WORK

WEEK OF 04 OCTOBER 1999 - CONSTITUENCY WORK

TUESDAY, 12 OCTOBER 1999
Time : 10:00 - 13:00
Venue : Good Hope Chamber
Agenda : Defence Bill
(Joint with PC on Defence)

WEDNESDAY, 13 OCTOBER 1999
Time : 14 :00 - 16 :00
Venue : Committee Room S35, First Floor, NCOP Wing
Agenda : Briefing on legislation

FRIDAY, 15 OCTOBER 1999
Time : 10:00 - 13:00
Venue : Committee Room S35, First Floor, NCOP Wing
Agenda : Briefing on legislation

WEEK OF 18 OCTOBER 1999 - PROVINCES

TUESDAY, 26 OCTOBER 1999
Time : 10.00 - 13:00
Venue : Good Hope Chamber
Agenda : Defence Bill
(Joint with PC on Defence)

WEDNESDAY, 27 OCTOBER 1999
Joint Standing Committee on Defence
Time : 09:00 - 12:30
Venue : Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Wing
Agenda : Department of Defence's Land Reform Policy

Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs
Time : 14:00 - 16:00
Venue : Committee Room S35, First Floor, NCOP Wing
Agenda : Deliberations on legislation

WEEK OF 1 NOVEMBER 1999 - CONSTITUECY WORK

WEDNESDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 1999
Time : 14 00 - 16 :00
Venue : To be confirmed
Agenda : Finalisation of pending legislation

FRIDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 1999
Time : 10:00 - 13:00
Venue : To be confirmed
Agenda : Finalisation of pending legislation

WEDNESDAY, 17 NOVEMBER 1999
Time : 14 :00 - 16:00
Venue : To be confirmed
Agenda : Finalisation of pending legislation

EXPECTED LEGISLATION

1. Open Democracy Bill [B67-98] (referred to the Joint Ad Hoc Committee)
2. Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill (Incarceration of Juveniles) [B -99]
3. Review Powers of Courts Bill (Administrative Justice) [B -99]
4. Equality Legislation [B -99]
5. Superior Courts Bill [B -99]
6. Sexual Offences Bill [B -99]
7. Amendment of Customary Law of Succession Bill [B -99]
8. Interception and Monitoring Prohibition Amendment Bill (Tapping Cellphones) [B -99]
9. Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill (Automatic Review) [B -99]
10. Judicial Matters Amendment Bill [B -99]

Defence
Defence Bill [B -99]

Safety And Security
Firearms Control Bill [B -99]

Correctional Services
Correctional Services Amendment Bill [B -99]