Children’s Bill: Discussion; Nomination of Central Drug Authority Candidates: briefing

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Meeting report

SELECT COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL SERVICES

SELECT COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL SERVICES
6 September 2005
CHILDREN’S BILL: DISCUSSION; NOMINATION OF CENTRAL DRUG AUTHORITY CANDIDATES: BRIEFING

Chairperson:
Ms J Masilo (ANC, North West)

Documents handed out:
Agenda (see Appendix B)
Committee minutes for 7, 14 and 21 June 2005
Draft report on Committee oversight visit
Letter on appointment of CDA boardmembers (see Appendix A)
PowerPoint presentation on selection of CDA boardmembers
Children's Bill [(B70-2003) Reintroduced]

SUMMARY
The Committee agreed that public hearings would be called for the Children’s Bill in the first week of the new term (from 10 October 2005). Only those persons or organisations that had not presented to the Portfolio Committee on Social Development would be invited to submit.

The Department of Social Development then introduced the Central Drug Authority, and explained the process for, and progress made in, the selection of new members of the CDA board. Members of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development and the Select Committee on Social Services would serve on the appointment panel, along with three members of the Department. It was agreed that the Chairpersons of the two Committees would meet to select suitable dates for interviews, and the Department would then brief the panel. The Committee had nominated Ms Masilo, Ms M Madlala-Magubane (ANC, Gauteng) and Mr J Thlagale (UCDP, North West) to serve on the panel.

MINUTES


Children’s Bill
The Chairperson proposed that the Committee advertise for public hearings on the Bill for two weeks, but that the hearings be restricted to those persons or organisations that had not submitted comments to the Portfolio Committee on Social Development. The Committee concurred.

Ms F Mazibuko (ANC, Gauteng) proposed that the Committee engage with the Department to present the Section 76 Bill. The Chairperson said that the Section 76 Bill would only follow once the Section 75 Bill had been completed.

Central Drug Authority board
Ms E Mokoko (Deputy Director-General: Central Drug Authority) introduced the CDA, noting that the Directorate was charged with the prevention and rehabilitation of substance abuse. Members were appointed in terms of the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Act Number 20 of 1992, and were appointed from government departments and civil society. The term of office of the current CDA boardmembers had expired on 31 August 2005. Although the Minister of Social Development had been requested to extend their period of office, the issue was still pending, and there was thus a vacuum.

The old National Drug Master Plan (NDMP) had expired, and the new plan would be tabled as soon as internal processes had been completed. The CDA’s role was to oversee and monitor the implementation of the NDMP, to facilitate the co-ordination of programmes, to encourage government departments and the private sector to draw up plans to address drug abuse, and to review the NDMP every five years. The CDA also submitted annual reports to Parliament, and facilitated the initiation and promoted legislation to combat the misuse of drugs.

Exactly 61 applications and nominations had been received by the closing date, and 12 experts would be appointed in terms of the Act. It was important that the candidates selected have time for the CDA business over and above their own commitments, and that they should have knowledge, experience and committed interest in the field of substance abuse.

Discussion
The Committee expressed concern that the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Act dated back to 1992, and was thus ‘apartheid era legislation’. It was also of concern that people appeared to leave rehabilitation centres in a worse state than that in which they entered them, and the Committee asked whether any guidelines were being drafted. The Department explained that the Act was under review, and that new issues were being included. The new NDMP to be tabled later in 2005, had a section on interventions to guide people working in the field.

The Committee noted that the process for extension was still in progress, and that the request had been made for an extension to 30 November 2005. The dates proposed for interview had not been finalised, and the Chairpersons of the two Committees would meet to agree on this. The Department would also brief the nominated members of the panel on the process, and on the NDMP, and supply the Members with both the old and draft new plans. The Committee had nominated Ms Masilo, Ms M Madlala-Magubane (ANC, Gauteng) and Mr J Thlagale (UCDP, North West) to serve on the panel.

The Committee then adopted the Committee Secretary’s minutes of the meetings of the 7, 14 and 21 June 2005, with minor technical amendments. It was agreed that Members should submit comments on the draft report on their oversight visit to the Chairperson and Committee Secretary by Friday 9 September, for adoption on Tuesday 13 September 2005.

The meeting was adjourned.

Appendix A:
DIRECTOR-GENERAL: DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

Attention:Ms Joyce Masilo

Dear Madam

RE:APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE CENTRAL DRUG AUTHORITY (CDA)

The Central Drug Authority (CDA) was established in terms of the Prevention and Treatment of the Drug Dependency Act 20 of 1992. Members are appointed by the Minister of Social Development and consist of representatives from 14 government departments and 12 experts in the field of substance abuse. According to the above-mentioned Act, the term of office for CDA members is five years end the term of the present CDA members expires on the 31st of August 2005.

The Minister of Social Development has already approved the appointment of the new members in terms of section 4 of the Prevention and Treatment or Dm9 Dependency Act 20 of 1992.

The department therefore quests the participation of the portfolio committee and the NCOP in the selection process, and together with the department to make recommendations to the Minister of Social Development for appointing the 12 experts. The other 14 members will be nominated by their respective ministries. In addition a member from the Medicines Control Council will be nominated by the Ministry of Health. Their names will be submitted to the Minister of Social Development for appointment.

An advertisement for the nomination of the 12 experts was issued on the 22nd of
May 2005, in various newspapers namely; Sunday Times, City Press, Sowetan,
Daily Sun, Daily Despatch, Natal Mercury, EP Herald, DF Advertisers, Beeld and
Cape Argus. The closing date for this advertisement was the 31 of May 2005,
but applications were received until 13 June 2005.

The Department received 63 nominations, from different categories, as stipulated in the advertisement. The Chief Directorate Welfare Service Transformation will be responsible for the payment of the traveling expenses of all the short-listed candidates to attend interviews.

Kindly provide a date, through the departmental parliamentary officer, Ms Lana Petersen, to discuss the selection process.

Your assistance and co-operation is always appreciated.
Yours faithfully

Mr V Madonsela
Director -General: Department of Social Development

Appendix B:
05 September 2005

NOTICE

MEETING OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL SERVICES

Please be advised that the meeting of the above Committee is scheduled to take place as follows:

Date : Tuesday 06 September 2005

Time : 10:00 – 12:00

Venue : Committee Room 1, Ground Floor, 120 Plein Street

Chairperson

Ms JM Masilo

AGENDA

  • Way forward on the Children’s Bill [B70B – 2003]
  • Adoption of minutes: 7, 14 and 21 June 2005
  • Review of the Draft Report: Oversight visit to the Northern Cape 08 –12 August 2005

________________________________________________________________

*NB. If you have been appointed as an alternate member to the above Committee, please

discuss your possible participation in these meetings with the members of your party

serving on the committee as well as your Chief Whip

Enquiries: Mr Arico Kotze Enquiries: Ms D Martin

Tel : (021) 403-3662 Tel : (021) 403-3601

Fax : (021) 403-2808 Fax : (021) 403-2808

Email : [email protected] Email : [email protected]

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