Annual Report and Committee Programme

SECURITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE
3 February 2005
ANNUAL REPORT AND COMMITTEE PROGRAMME

Chairperson Mr Kgoshi L Mokoena (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Draft Committee Programme
Committee 2004 Annual Report

SUMMARY
Members made few technical amendments to the Annual Report and the committee programme for 2005. The main emphasis was on oversight, which would make departments and the executive accountable. The report and the committee report were adopted.

MINUTES
Annual Report
The Chairperson invited members to comment on the Annual Report.

Mr D Worth (DA) suggested proper co-ordination of oversight visits because some members serve in more than one committee within the same cluster.

Mr S Shiceka suggested the adoption of the report.

Mr M Mzizi enquired about the identified outstanding matters such as the Supreme and Constitutional Courts and Chapter Nine institutions which had not been visited.

The Chairperson added that Chapter Nine institutions were not reflected in the report and urged the Committee Secretary to rectify the situation. Furthermore, he reminded members that they had to spend 70% of the time in oversight for monitoring and evaluation.

Mr Mzizi seconded the adoption of the report.

Committee Programme
The Chairperson invited comments from members

Mr Z Ntuli (ANC) highlighted certain changes. He said that there was a need for more female committee members, even if it meant redeployment of some male members.

The Chairperson added that more women members were needed for the Committee.

Mr Mzizi raised his concern about the time allocated to workshops to such an extent that discussions would get little time. Furthermore he enquired about the follow up to oversight visits. The role of the National Prosecuting Authority was not properly defined, was it part of Justice Department or the Police.

The Chairperson raised a concern that the role the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) was not clear to some people which amounted to ignorance.

Mr Shiceka emphasised a need to build strong communication channels so that the role of the NCOP should be clear.

The programme was adopted.

The meeting was adjourned