Parliamentary Villages: Department briefing; Committee Programme: adoption

Meeting report

PUBLIC WORKS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
16 March 2005
PARLIAMENTARY VILLAGES: DEPARTMENT BRIEFING; COMMITTEE PROGRAMME: ADOPTION

Chairperson: Mr F Bhengu (ANC)

Documents handed out
Draft Parliamentary Programme: First Term 2005

SUMMARY
The Department of Public Works briefed the Committee on the problems experienced in certain Parliamentary villages. Some of the issues raised included the usage of water, crime and the general state of the villages. The Committee also discussed its proposed overseas visit and it was decided that China and Canada should be visited. The Committee also discussed its draft Programme.

MINUTES

Department briefing
Ms E van den Hoven (Acting Regional Manager: Department of Public Works) said that the Department adhered to the water restrictions, but inhabitants private water use could not be controlled. Advice would be welcomed in this regard. A disruption in water supply had occurred. Water services came from the Wingfield SANDF base, which caused problems for the Department. Alternative routes had been investigated. The Department would give an update at a later stage.

Ms van den Hoven said that part of their investigation had been to find out whether the Municipality could provide the parks with water supply. The Wingfield base was currently the closest. She said that a broken pipe caused the breakage, but a contractor would fix it.

Mr O Lamb (Acting Director: Prestige Accommodation) said that the water pipes in Acacia Park had been upgraded two years ago. The problems that have been experienced were due to the supply pipe running through the Wingfield base. Water had been supplied in bulk to both the defence force camp and Acacia Park. They were investigating single water supplies straight to Acacia Park.

Mr R Sidumo (Acacia Park Manager) said that they had been provided with the crime statistics from December 2004. Two incidences of theft and one of damage to property had been reported. Three youths, not from the Parliamentary village, had been found with dagga.

Mr Sidumo said that burglar bars had been installed in 99& of the houses. The installation of burglar bars in the C and D blocks have been completed. Some of the windows were unable to open sufficiently, but this problem had received attention.

Mr Sidumo continued that tenants had been requested to bring forward their new dependants in order to develop access cards that would allow them access to the parks. No co-operation had been received from either the new tenants or the outstanding Members who should have submitted the names of their dependants. They were trying to accommodate those who had requested access cards.

Mr Sidumo said that funds had been allocated for the upgrading of furniture. He could not recall any correspondence that had not been acknowledged. If a Member had not received acknowledgement, they should bring it to the Department in order for it to be dealt with.

Discussion
Mr Z Kotwal (ANC) wanted to know about the status of the swimming pool and whether the gates had been repaired.

Mr Sidumo said that all the safety measures at the swimming pool had been put in place. Locks had been changed. One pool in Acacia Park had been closed due to a case of drowning. Concerns had been raised about children that jumped over the wall and dustbins that were thrown into the pool. A lifesaver should be appointed to look after the children, but the Department did not have the resources for this. Parental supervision for children had been recommended.

Ms C Ramotsamai (ANC) asked whether the Department had looked into the matter of borehole water, since this would reduce the amount of money paid for water. She asked for assistance by the people that worked in Acacia Park with regards to crime. Members needed a safe place to stay. They should give their view as people who worked there on a daily basis. She also asked what had happened to old furniture after it was replaced by new furniture, as this could possibly be a form of revenue for the Department.

Ms E van den Hoven said that the Department would have to look at the option of using borehole water. She said that there were problems with such an option. A water storage tank would be needed, which could lead to other problems and costs.

Ms S Nkonyane (Client Relations Manager: Parks) said that each of the three Parliamentary villages had their own storage room. The Department had its own disposal committee board and they decided how old furniture should be disposed. It could be auctioned or donated.

Ms M Ntuli (ANC) said that people were speeding in the roads. Appliances, such as DVD’s were being sold. She wondered where they came from. She also raised the issue of car inspections at the gate. The police ought to know what people had in their cars. A system should be developed to ensure this.

Ms N Mdaka (UDM) added that the police opened and closed boots, but they did not look inside it. Pedestrians carrying bags were not searched.

Ms van den Hoven replied that the Department could not be held responsible for criminal activities. The Department could only ensure that the facilities were up to standard. She said that as soon as the committees could get together, and deliver their proposals to the board, progress would be made.

Mr Blanché (DA) asked whether rules should be drawn up for the park. Every tenant should sign that they would adhere to them, and if these rules were broken, such a person should leave the park.

The Chairperson said that agreement had been reached on some issues, but it was not on paper. He indicated that this referred to issues regarding the Board. Proposals had been made. The Board should be properly constituted, and must include both a Member of Parliament and of the SAPS. He indicated that the Board should account to the Committee, but it was his understanding that the Board was not in place. This had resulted in the shortcomings stated in the meeting. Once the board had been set up, rules to govern the park could be developed.

Mr Sidumo said that with regards to the amendment of the rules, a new board had been appointed. At the Board meeting it was resolved that the three residents’ committees should look into the issue of amending the rules and the Act itself. The Department had issued copies of the rules of the parks and current Act. The relevant Chairpersons had been contacted to decide on dates to discuss the issues that were mentioned. After the three committees reached agreement on what had to be amended in the rules, the proposals would be taken to the board. Currently, nothing could be taken to the Board.

Mr K Moomsamy (ANC) said that improvements had been made regarding security. He found the wastage of water unacceptable. He asked whether they had established who were entitled to live in the parks. He said that every resident in Acacia Park ought to have an access card. He emphasised that a search should be carried out.

Mr Sidumo said that the residents committees must establish who should be able to live in the Parliamentary villages. A person could not get evicted if he had come with a Member. This could only happen after a clear explanation of dependants, and of those entitled to live in a Parliamentary village, had been formed. A summary of this would be given as soon as the Board and resident committees’ plans had been developed.

Ms C Ramotsamai (ANC) said that some of the responsibilities that were expected of the Department were actually the responsibility of parents and Members. Even if the Board was in place, it still had to be legislated for.

Ms P Sekgobela (ANC) said that Acacia Park was dirty. The Department needed to answer for this.

Mr S Siboza (ANC) said that certain structures were not in place. It should be raised with the sectional committees. They should take it to the Department. He emphasised that they should not wait for a crisis. He asked whether the sectional committees were monitoring the swimming pools. Somebody had to account for this.

The Chairperson said that, with regards to the water issue, he recommended that an inspector walk around in the villages. He stated that the Committee and Department had a meeting to address crime in the villages. Oversight should be done to see if the necessary capacity exited to handle it. He said that with regards to the proposed legislation, they should call for public hearings on the state of the parks. The legislation should come from the Department, whilst the resident’s committee should make recommendations. The Board must account to the Committee. New rules should govern the parks. He also emphasised that timeframes were needed.

Mr Blanché (DA) wondered whether the Committee should pass a resolution whereby certain issues would be passed onto the whippery of Parliament. It was not the function of the Committee to interfere in police barracks. He said that the whippery was responsible for the benefits and where Members of Parliament should stay. The Committee should only be responsible for looking after state property.

The Chairperson concluded that the Committee wanted the Act and rules in place.

The Department Officials left the meeting.

Committee Programme
The Chairperson referred the Members to the research report that related to proposed visits to certain countries. He said that agreement should be reached as to which specific countries should be visited. If only one delegation went overseas, the country visited would be China. The delegation would only learn about construction and construction industries.

The Chairperson said that it was also important for the Committee to learn about what had happened in other countries. Canada was mentioned as another option. The Chairperson said that a Member proposed that a division should take place, with one team going to China (if it was China) and the other to Canada (if it was Canada).

Ms C Ramotsamai (ANC) asked what the international visit would realise.

The Chairperson emphasised that the visit should be motivated. He said that the provinces were experiencing skills shortages. He said that a visit to China was important, as the Department had started to address these problems. There had been an indication that a trip would be allowed. Discussions would continue elsewhere. He said that the Department would want to leave in June. This would enable the Department to report back to Parliament.

Agreement was reached that the delegation should be split. The Chairperson said that the necessary applications should be sent to the relevant offices. June and July would be the targeted months.

Draft Committee Programme
The Chairperson referred Members to the Draft Committee Programme for the first term. The public hearings would take place on 4-5 April. The briefing by the UCT School of Economics would be shifted to 6 April. He also indicated that on 6 April, they would be adopting the votes on the strikeplan, the budget vote, the IDT and CIDP. If this were not possible, it would be scheduled for that Thursday or Friday. He indicated that the Committee would be debating the budget vote on 13 April. The reports would be tabled. He proposed that the Committee should finalise their provincial visits from the 16-20 May. The Department should brief the Committee on their disposal plan during May, but no specific date has been set. The Chairperson wanted to add another date when the Committee would call on the Cluster Departments implementing the EPWP. This should be done in order to discuss the co-ordination and implementation of these programmes. He identified 27 June as the intended date for the proposed visit to the overseas countries. The Committee moved for the this option.

The meeting was adjourned.