Committee Programme; Oversight Visit Report & Study Tour: discussion

LAND AND ENVIRONMENT AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE
23 January 2007
COMMITTEE PROGRAMME; OVERSIGHT VISIT REPORT & STUDY TOUR: DISCUSSION

Chairperson: Rev P Moatshe (ANC) [North West]

Documents handed out:
Daft Committee Programme

SUMMARY
The Committee discussed its programme for the first term of 2007, but its adoption was postponed subject to the outcome of a management meeting to be held on 29 January 2007. Adoption of the Committee Report on its visit to the Limpopo Water Department was also postponed, as the Report required further consideration. The Committee agreed that it needed to embark on a study tour to Iceland in February, in order to learn from the successes of that country’s thriving fishing industry.

MINUTES
Committee 1^st Term Programme
The Chairperson thanked everyone for their presence and open the floor.

Mr L Van Rooyen (ANC) [Free State] raised the bucket system issue and suggested that the Department of Water and Forestry be called to appear before the Committee and explain their plans to eradicate the bucket system, especially as the deadline for its eradication was the end of 2007.
 
Mr F Adams (ANC) [Western Cape] reminded the Committee that there was a new Head of the Water Affairs and Forestry department. Farmers were also experiencing challenges with water supply and it would be wise to invite the Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs as well.
 
Ms H Matlanyane (ANC) [Limpopo] proposed that the Committee visit areas where water supply is a problem, to allow the residents of those areas to air their grievances.

Mr Van Rooyen proposed that the head of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry must not send junior representatives to account to the Committee. The issue of water and sanitation was very crucial and the head should appear personally. Should the head be unable to attend, the meeting must be cancelled until they could appear.
 
Mr R Tau (ANC) [Northern Cape] proposed that the Committee not dwell on water and irrigation issues at this point, because there were pressing issues like eradicating the bucket system by the end of 2007. He argued that water was a major issue because almost all departments have problems with water. He added that the Committee should listen to the views of the national and provincial governments on the challenges they faced in providing the service. The Committee must bear this in mind when conducting oversight visits. He maintained that the Committee should focus on eradicating the bucket system, as it was a matter of national urgency. 

Mr Adams replied that water was an important issue and suggested that it should not be cast aside.

Ms M Oliphant (ANC) [KwaZulu-Natal] added that both water and sanitation were important issues, and proposed that the accounting officers in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry be called to the meeting and account for their portfolios. She proposed that the Committee programme not be adopted until all these arrangements were made. She also noted that some organization that were called to account to the Committee tended to present their previous year’s documentation because they knew that Committee Member did not have the time to read through all their documents. In addition, she proposed that all presenters in future send their documentation to the Committee days before the meeting, in order to give Members sufficient time to go through the documentation.
 
Mr Van Rooyen insisted that the Committee acknowledge the eradication of bucket system as a priority, and was of the view that calling officials such as project managers was merely making things difficult. Calling the heads of Department was sufficient.

Ms Oliphant agreed with Mr Van Rooyen and acknowledged its importance.

The Chair acknowledged Members inputs, and proposed that the important or critical issues be prioritized.

The Committee did not adopt its programme, but decided that a management meeting be set for Monday 29 January to discuss some issues and changes.

Committee Report on Limpopo visit
Mr Tau said that on their visit to Limpopo Department of Water highlighted major problems for the communities, and asked whether the matter had been addressed since the visit.

The Chair replied that the Committee brought the issues to attention of the relevant government relevant stakeholders, and the Committee would definitely follow-up during the course of this year.

Ms Matlanyane said that there were many problems in the report that were not yet settled, and insisted that the document not be adopted.

The Chair noted that the Committee was unable to adopt the report.
 
Committee international study tour
Mr Van Rooyen proposed that the Committee visit Iceland. It currently has one of the leading fishing industries in the world, yet in 1966 it experienced problems The Committee should thus visit Iceland to find out how they overcame their problems, so that South Africa could learn from it.

The Chair agreed.

Mr Adams seconded the proposal.

The Chair asked when they could visit these places

Mr Tau replied that the Committee decided in 2006 that its 2007 visits would take place before the end of the 2006.7 financial year.
 
Mr Adams proposed that the trip be taken after the official opening of the Parliament in early February.

The Chair proposed that the matter should be discussed the management committee on Monday.

Adoption of minutes
The Committee adopted its minutes of the meetings on 31 October 2006 and 14 November 2006, with technical amendments.

The meeting was adjourned.