Eskom Conversion Bill: Consideration

Meeting report

LABOUR AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISE SELECT COMMITTEE
18 June 2001
ESKOM CONVERSION BILL: CONSIDERATION

Chairperson: Mr S Fenyane

Documents handed out
Proposed Amendments to the Eskom Conversion Bill [B16B-2001]
Eskom Conversion Bill [B16-01]

SUMMARY
The Chair noted that the finalisation of the Bill will be on 20 June. The Department of Public Enterprise informed the Committee that they were engaged in discussions with Cosatu and that the Committee should not be surprised if they come with new proposals on Wednesday morning.

MINUTES
The Chair informed the Select Committee, which had members of the Portfolio Committee attending, that the Bill would be finalised on 20 June and in the afternoon of the same day, the Bill would be debated in the plenary session of the NCOP.

The Department went through the proposed amendments so that members would be given time to digest these amendments before the finalisation of the Bill on 20 June.

Mr L Montana (Director: Parliamentary Services) informed the Committee that they were engaged in discussions with Cosatu and added the Committee should not be surprised when they come with new proposals on Wednesday.

Mr D Matsila (Director: Legal Services) went through the proposed amendments, which were mostly technical amendments such as the insertion of correct punctuation and spelling. However, the substantive amendments were:

· In Clause 6 (4), 'may' has been substituted with 'must'

· At the beginning of section 6 (4), it would now read as follows: "The Minister shall enter into a shareholder compact with Eskom …"

· In section 6 (2) the word 'memorandum' has been added and the subclause would now read: "The memorandum and articles of association of Eskom …"

· The new definition of the shareholder compact would now read as follows: "Shareholder compact means the performance agreement to be entered into between Eskom and government …"

· In section 11 (3) the word 'register' has been changed to 'registrar'.

· In Clause 8(1)(b) after "Act" a "a majority of" shares has been inserted

After the amendments were pointed out, the meeting was adjourned.