Committee Reports on Gauteng and North West Visits: adoption

Meeting report

SOCIAL SERVICES SELECT COMMITTEE
31 May 2005
COMMITTEE REPORTS ON GAUTENG AND NORTH WEST VISITS: ADOPTION

Chairperson: Ms J Masilo (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Committee Clerk’s Minutes: 25 May 2005 (Available on request)
Draft Committee Report on visit to Gauteng, 7-9 February 2005
Draft Committee Report on visit to North West, 14-16 February 2005

SUMMARY
The Committee adopted the Committee Clerk’s minutes of 25 May 2005, and considered Draft Reports on their oversight visits to Gauteng (7-9 February 2005) and the North West (14-16 February 2005). The Gauteng draft oversight report could not be adopted, as there were still some minor technical changes to be corrected. Due to insufficient time, the Draft Oversight Report of the North West visit could not be read.

MINUTES
The Chairperson went through the Clerk’s minutes of 25 May 2005. The Committee adopted these minutes with minor technical amendments, as they found it to be correct and accurate.

On its visit to Gauteng, the Committees had heard presentations from various heads of department of the Legislature, including the MEC for Social Services. One of the most important challenge facing the various Departments was the need to adopt a more developmental approach to service delivery, as opposed to a welfare-oriented approach. This meant that new partnerships had to be created with the private sector.

The Committee then visited the Natalspruit and Sebokeng hospitals, the Khaya Day-care Centre, the Department of Home Affairs’ offices in Mabopane, Ga-Rankuwa and Pretoria, the Sedibeng District Municipality, Empilisweni Clinic and the Kopanong Community Centre.

The Chairperson read through the Gauteng oversight visit draft report and the Committee found some minor technical mistakes that needed to corrected before its adoption. Ms F Mazibuko (ANC) felt that the Clerk needed to add more recommendations.

The Chairperson asked Members if they wanted the report to be debated in the Plenary or whether the report should simply be tabled. The Committee unanimously agreed that the final report should be tabled in the Plenary.

Mr M Thejeng (DA) asked when the Committee would be visiting the Northern Cape province. The Chairperson responded that it would be visited during the third session (beginning of August 2005).

The Chairperson announced that the Older Persons Bill would be debated on the 23 June and asked Members to be prepared for the debate.

Due to insufficient time (the venue was needed by another Committee), the Draft Oversight Report of the North West visit could not be read.

The meeting was adjourned