Draft Resolutions and Upcoming Oversight Visits: discussion

PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS
31 OCTOBER 2006
DRAFT RESOLUTIONS AND UPCOMING OVERSIGHT VISITS: DISCUSSION

Chairperson: Mr F Bhengu (ANC)

Documents handed out
Draft Committee Report on Oversight Visit to North–West Province
Draft Committee Report on Oversight Visit to Limpopo Province
Committee Draft Resolutions [these documents were not made available to the public]

SUMMARY
The Committee discussed upcoming oversight visits to China, Canada, Chicago and the provinces. The Chairperson went through the draft resolutions that were adopted by the Committee in previous meetings. He raised concerns about the amount of money allocated for the renovations to the Parliamentary villages and suggested that the Committee visit all the villages. A request would be sent to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Sports and Recreation to include the Portfolio Committee of Public Works in the briefings which that Committee will receive on the preparations for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. The Committee would consider its Reports on visits to the North-West and Limpopo provinces at the following meeting.

MINUTES
Introductory remarks by Chairperson
The Chairperson expressed his concern at the venues that the Committee was given to meet in, as not all the venues had recording equipment. He was of the view that it was the responsibility of the Committee Secretary to record the meeting’s minutes accurately, and that could not be properly done without the recording facility in the venue. Some of the issues that were raised during the meetings were not always included in the minutes produced by the Committee Secretary. He informed Members that Parliament’s Committee Section was asked to write a a formal letter apologizing for such incorrect information, and that request was documented. That letter was however never tabled before this Committee.

Mr M Mbebe, Committee Secretary, replied that the Parliament’s Committee Section Manager had written the letter.

Mr H Cupido (ACDP) commented that the venue used for last week's meeting was too small. If the full complement of the Committee’s members and the media were present at that meeting, then there would not have been enough space.

The Chairperson commented that the booking of venues must be done well in advance.

Committee Draft Resolutions
He asked Members to go through the draft resolutions which were undertaken by the Committee from March to October 2006.

Mr Cupido commented that the time frames for the resolutions should be included.

Mr S Opperman (DA) suggested that the Committee Researcher should keep track of the progress of the resolutions.

The Chairperson replied that that did not fall within the job description of the Committee researcher. The responsibility fell instead with Parliament’s Committee Section. In the event that a resolution was not acted upon, it should form part of the following Parliamentary session's programme.

Mr Cupido felt that there should be regular interaction with the Chairperson of the Committee Section to ensure that the resolutions undertaken by the Committee were followed up..

The Chairperson stated that there were in fact times when he ended up doing the work of the Committee Secretary. That was the unfortunate situation with previous Committee Secretary. Eventually it was requested that that Committee Secretary be relieved of his duties. The Committee Section has admitted that it was struggling to complete all its tasks. He informed the Committee of instances in which a Committee Report would be sent back to the Committee Section for errors to be corrected, yet when the Committee Section returned that report to the Committee the initial errors remained uncorrected. He felt that such issues needed to be raised in the Chief Whips forum

Planned visits to Canada, China and Chicago
The Chairperson informed Members that the he has applied for a Committee visit to Canada, Chicago and China. The Chinese Embassy has since asked that the visit be held over till 2007. Confirmation was still awaited from Canada and Chicago.

The Committee Secretary replied that he had received an e-mail from the Canadian embassy with regards to the study tour.

Ms C Ramotsamai (ANC) commented that the late Minister of Public Works had encouraged the Committee to visit China. She felt that the Committee should find a way to visit China. Arrangements needed to be made as soon as possible, so that the Committee could get the ‘go ahead’ from Parliament.

Mr Y Wang (ANC) commented that he would be able to make arrangements for a trip to China. The problem however was not with the Chinese Embassy, but instead with the Committee Section.

Mr B Radebe (ANC) was of the view that the Committee should spend at least three days in China, as he believed there was more to learn from China than Canada and Chicago.

Ms Ramorsamai urged the Committee Secretary to maintain daily contact with the Chairperson when making the arrangements.

Upcoming visits to the provinces
The Chairperson suggested that provincial visits be scheduled for later November 2006. The Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State and Kwazulu Natal provinces have indicated that they were ready for oversight visits.

The Chairperson commented that the Committee needed to ask the Department of Public Works for a breakdown of the money allocated for the renovations of the Parliamentary villages. He was of the view that it was unacceptable for Members of Parliament to live in prefabricated buildings in those villages. A register of all Members of Parliament who have been allocated houses should be introduced. A letter will be written to the Chairperson of the Sports and Recreation Portfolio committee requesting that this Committee be informed about the briefings they receive on the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup preparations.

Draft Reports on North-West and Limpopo visits
The Chair stated that the reports would be discussed and adopted at the next meeting, as the time allocated for the present meeting had expired.

The meeting was adjourned.