Committee Programme
Social Development
14 June 2006
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Meeting report
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
14 June 2006
DRAFT COMMITTEE PROGRAMME FOR 2nd AND 3rd TERMS
Acting-chairperson: Adv M Masutha (ANC)
Documents handed out:
Draft
Committee Programme for 2nd and 3rd Terms
SUMMARY
The Committee discussed the mediation process that would take place regarding
the Older Persons Bill, its forthcoming trip to Australia and its Draft
Programme for the 2nd and 3rd parliamentary terms. The
Committee expressed concern at a reduction of the number delegates allowed on
the Australian trip.
MINUTES
The chairperson stated that Ms Tshivase (ANC) was away on an overseas trip on
parliamentary business.
Mr M Fukula (Committee Secretary) informed the Committee that the Older
Person’s Bill had been rejected by the NCOP to allow for a mediation process to
begin. Two lines had been omitted due to a technicality and were not the fault
of the Committee. The missing lines had been noticed by the Northern Cape
Province who had alerted the NCOP.
He said the names of people who will form part of the Mediation Committee were
Ms J Chalmers (ANC); Ms M Gumede,(ANC); Ms X Makasi (ANC); Adv M Masutha(ANC);
Ms E Ngaleka (ANC); Ms H Weber (DA); Mr M Walters (DA), and Ms I Mars (IFP) as
listed in Order Paper of 14 June 2006.
Ms Gumede asked if the mediation process could be explained.
The Chairperson referred to Sections 75 and 76 of the Constitution, which
provide procedures for the passing of Bills in Parliament. Section 75 deals
with primarily with Bills that have a national impact whereas Section 76 deals
with Bills that have an impact on the provinces in particular. The Older
Person’s Bill fell within Section 76. In the event the National Assembly and
National Council of Provinces not agreeing on the final version of the Bill a
team would be appointed, made up of members from both Houses, to form a
mediation committee to resolve the dispute. If they could then not resolve the
matter at mediation level, the matter would lapse.
Mr Fukula remarked that the Australian trip by the Committee had been scheduled
to take place in the next term from 7-11 August. The delegation would be made
up of Adv Masutha; Ms I Direko (ANC); Ms
Tshivase; and Mr Walters
The Chairperson felt disappointed by the small number of members on the list
for the Australian trip. He was concerned about the cost of the trip as R52 000
had been set aside for traveling expenses only.
He said that the purpose of the trip was to look at how the Australian
Legislature exercised oversight over the Social Security Agency and what were
the challenges and ‘smart’ ways of doing things in their Parliament.
Mr B Solo (ANC) asked who decided what to do and how to run the Committee’s
affairs. His name had initially been on the list for the Australian trip. He
felt Parliament was not treating the Committee fairly. Other committees had had
many trips with large contingencies authorised by Parliament. He suggested that
a uniform standard be applied to all parliamentary committees
Ms Gumede commented that some members of the Committee had attend meetings only
once in six months
Ms Mars commented that the Home Affairs Committee had travelled with only three
members . She felt there was a need to investigate why some committees were
approved large delegation while others travelled with few members.
The Chairperson suggested the concerns raised be dealt with by the chairperson
of committees and possibly be sent to the chief whip of the majority party. It
was the Management Committee that had discussed the matter.
Mr Solo felt the Committee’s draft programme had not provided for oversight on
piloted areas such as rural areas
Ms Gumede suggested that the Committee should start oversight of rural areas
.She felt the Committee always considered well advanced areas like Gauteng and
forget rural areas. People in rural areas only heard about the existence of
white people but had never seen them
Mr Walters referred the Committee to the joint briefing by the Departments of
Social Development and Justice on the Child Justice Bill, scheduled for 13
September on the draft programme. He suggested sexual offences be included.
Ms H Bogopane-Zulu (ANC) referred the Committee to the last page of the
programme. She felt the Committee had dealt with the NDA (National Development
Agency) on numerous occasions. She suggested the NDA briefing be replaced by an
outreach visit or consideration of how the NDA made decisions in terms of
funding long-term contracts and how changes to NGO funding impacted on NDA
short-term and long term grants.
She referred the Committee to the item on the 2007 Development Support:
Departmental Programmes, and suggested that the Umsombuvu Youth Fund be invited
to update the Committee instead of the Department Programmes. She added that
Committee should focus on the implementation of youth service.
The meeting was adjourned.
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