Report back of the SABC Summit Committee

Meeting report

PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
22 September 1998
REPORT BACK OF THE SABC SUMMIT COMMITTEE

MINUTES
The report back on the discussions of the SABC SUMMIT COMMITTEE did not include any documents pertaining to the summit meeting. The portfolio members were not happy about this and made a formal request for the briefing to be issued as soon as possible along with other relevant information with it such as Communicare and other relevant issues.

The speaker reporting on the SABC SUMMIT COMMITTEE meeting mentioned that SADC would soon have available a website that will make it easier to obtain information and important documents.

Another issue that the speaker raised is that of South Africa's intentions of working hand in hand with the European Union (EU) on issues such as demining, HIV and promotion of trade and industry. There will be discussion on these issues at the conference to be held in Vienna on the 3rd and 4th of November this year.

A question was raised about the intervention of South Africa into Lesotho. The reply was that the issue of Lesotho was raised on a broad outline not only on the route of SADC. At this stage the Lesotho issue is being discussed by foreign ministers.

Original minutes:
There was a change of the venue of the meeting. As a result there was a delay on the time the meeting started and I became a few minutes late as I was going up and down trying to get the right venue.

This report is based on the information that was gathered from the meeting of the portfolio committee on foreign affairs. The meeting itself was a bit disorganised besides the effect of the unnotified change of venue, the person who was supposed to give a report back on the discussions made during the SABC SUMMIT COMMITTEE did not give out any documents partaining the summit meeting. Further more
he was criticised for not providing documents on briefing on what the portfolio committe was to deal with in the meeting.

The portfolio members were not happy about this type of action, they then made a formal request for the briefing to be issued as soon as possible. They further requested that the briefing have other relevant information with it such as communi-care and other relevant issues.This short-coming caused a meeting to last for about 45 minutes.

The speaker reporting on the SABC SUMMIT COMMITTEE meeting started by highlighting the good news that SADC has established a website that will make things easier as far as getting the information on the where-abouts of the foreign affairs are concerned. This will serve as an advantage as anyone interested will get access to reading important documentations in time, preventing delay by secretariat. Unfortunately the website is not yet available but will be soon.

Through this step the council has considered the significance of technology in the new mellinum. Althought the cost factor is becoming more of a difficult issue but South Africa is prepared with all capacity to handle it.

Another issue that the speaker raised is that of South Africa's intentions of working hand in hand with the European Union (EU). South Africa is proposing the EU to take into consideration the factor of de-mining, bearing in mind the rehabilitation of mine workers. They want them (EU) to come into the ground and see how it can be done. There will be further discussons on this in the conference to be held in Vienna on the 3rd and 4th of november this year.

Other issues to be discussed in the conference in Vienna are:
~development within the EU
~great lakes
~trade liberation
~promotion of trade and industry
~co-operation on HIV fight
~balancing gender issues and water provision.

One question that became the center of attraction was the point of clarification that was needed on the intervention of South Africa to Lesotho. The reply was that the issue of Lesotho was raised on a broad outline not only on the route of SADC. At this stage the Lesotho's issue is being discussed by foreign ministers.

END OF THE MEETING. NO DOCUMENTATIONS WERE DIISTRIIBUTED TO PEOPLE
WHO ATTENDED THE MEETING EVEN THE PORTFOLIO MEMBERS.