Committee Programme planning

Meeting report

ECONOMIC AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE
10 August 2005
COMMITTEE PROGRAMME PLANNING

Chairperson: Ms N Ntwanambi (ANC, Western Cape)

Documents handed out:
Draft Committee Programme from August 2005

SUMMARY
The Committee went through their meeting Programme in detail, but agreed to adopt it formally at their next meeting when there was a quorum. Members were keen for the whole Committee to attend the World Trade Organisation (WTO) training in Geneva from 9 – 16 October, and to conduct an oversight visit to investigate health and safety in mines. They also examined Bills to be tabled shortly in Parliament that would affect their work.

MINUTES
The Chairperson expressed the Committee’s commitment to follow-up work in KwaZulu-Natal and Northwest Provinces during the week of 15 – 19 August. She asked Members to respond to issues in their constituencies. Mr K Sinclaire (NNP, Northern Cape) would be unable to be part of the delegation and Mr J Sibiya (ANC Limpopo Province) agreed to replace him.

Ms Ntwanambi proposed that the 1 September meeting agenda, the update on the Pan African Parliament and Southern African Development Community Peace Forum, be moved to the afternoon of 30 August.

The 6 September meeting had been allocated to briefings by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on South Africa’s Small, Medium and Micro-Enterprises (SMME) strategy, and the National Credit Amendment Bill. Ms Ntwanambi requested that a consultant be present to simplify the Bill’s objectives so that the Committee could start working before the Bill came from National Assembly. This was expected to be a long process as it was a very long Bill. It would also help if Members went to the public hearings. It was agreed that, while Members were in the Western Cape, they should visit Volksrust and Khayelitsha.

Members requested the Department to make it possible that all Members could attend the World Trade Organisation (WTO) training in Geneva from 9 – 16 October.

An oversight visit was scheduled to investigate health and safety in mines. Mr Sinclaire suggested that the Committee also focus on activities at Sishen. Also scheduled was briefing by the Department of Foreign Affairs on the outcomes and challenges on the June G8 Summit. This included dealing with the intervention of South African Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Zimbabwe, and other ways to deal with the crisis. Mr D Mkono (ANC, Eastern Cape) felt there was a need to engage with the Minister of Foreign Affairs on this issue. Mr Sinclaire agreed that someone needed to brief the Committee on such issues as the G8 Summit, Zimbabwe, and whenever pertinent African issues were discussed.

The Chairperson related that relevant Bills to be tabled in 2005 included:

Foreign Affairs
African Renaissance and International Co-operation Fund Amendment Bill

Trade and Industry
Close Corporations Amendment Bill
Co-operatives Amendment Bill
Consumer Credit Amendment Bill
Enterprise Development Amendment Bill
Designs Amendment Bill
"Interim" Companies Amendment Bill
Trade Marks Amendment Bill
Counterfeit Goods Amendment Bill

Minerals and Energy
Electricity Regulation Bill
Precious Metals and Diamonds General Amendment Bill
Mineral and Energy Laws Amendment Bill
EDI Restructuring Bill
Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Bill
Mine Health and Safety Amendment Bill

The meeting adjourned.