Committee Oversight Visit Reports & Committee Report on Department Budget Vote: adoption

DEFENCE PORTFOLIO AND JOINT STANDING COMMITTEES
18 September 2007
SANDF DEPLOYMENT NOTIFICATION; COMMITTEE REPORTS ON OVERSIGHT VISITS & DEPARTMENT BUDGET

Co-Chairpersons: Mr F Bengu (ANC) [Portfolio Committee]
Dr E Schoemann (ANC) [Joint Standing Committee]

Documents handed out;
Committee Report on Study Tour to Canada
Committee Report on Department’s Budget Vote
Committee Report on Simonstown and Saldanah Oversight Visits
Committee Report on Algerian Study Tour
Four letters on deployment of Defence Force Members
[All reports available at Committee Reports once published]

Audio recording of meeting

SUMMARY
The two committees discussed their Joint Programme and identified challenges experienced due to lack of Member attendance at meetings, especially the Joint Standing Committee. It was agreed that joint sessions would be the best solution, and a possible merging of the two Committees was mooted.

The Portfolio Committee on Defence will be tabling an Interim Report on the Department’s Budget Vote, and its Reports on its oversight visits to Simonstown, and Saldanah and Canada would be tabled in the Fourth Term of Parliament.

The Joint Standing Committee on Defence adopted the report on the letters of deployment of the SANDF and its Report on the Algerian study tour.

MINUTES
Portfolio Committee on Defence
Mr Bengu indicated that key issues or challenges regarding the working together of the two Committees had been identified, hence the Joint Meeting. Furthermore the membership of both Committees was more or less identical, with the result that the Joint Standing Committee was suffering.

Members agreed that a well planned programme must be devised for the two Committees. That would assist the Joint Standing Committee as its Members were currently over stretched.

Mr Bengu mentioned that the programme would be drafted in consultation with Parliament’s Committee Section.

Committee Report on Department Budget Vote
The Chairperson indicated that the Committee had not tabled its Report on the Department’s Budget and proposed that an Interim Committee Report be tabled in the House. Members agreed.

Report on Oversight visit to Simonstown Naval Base and Saldanah Military Academy
Mr Bengu suggested that the Report be considered in the Fourth Term of Parliament.

Mr R Shah (DA) suggested that the Portfolio Committee refer to its 2005 Report, which contained recommendations for those two sites stemming from the Committee’s visit during that financial year. The Committee would then follow up with the Department and check whether it had addressed those recommendations.

Mr G Koornhof (ANC) indicated that the 2005 Report would have to be dealt with separately.

Mr Shah responded that there were many issues that needed to be resolved in order for the Saldanah Military Academy to deliver. He realised that some of the recommendations in this Report they overlap with those in the Committee’s earlier 2005 Report. A progress report on the Committee’s recommendations should be requested from the Department

Me Bengu stated that whilst it was correct that the Committee needed to deal with the current Report first, the assistance of the Department could nevertheless be sought regarding its implementation of the recommendations in the Committee’s 2005 Report.

Committee Report on Oversight Visit to Canada
It was agreed that this Report be considered in the Fourth Term of Parliament. Furthermore, none of the Members involved in that visit were currently present to discuss the Report. Those Members must be present at the following meeting.

Committee Draft Fourth Quarter Programme
There were suggestions raised about the fourth quarter programme and the Chairperson together with the Committee secretary would look at it and bring an improvised version at their next meeting.

Joint Standing Committee On Defence
Letters on deployment of SANDF
Dr Schoeman proposed that the Committee approve the deployments of the SANDF in Uganda, Comores, public service strike and SADC Brigade in Zambia, but suggested that the Office of the President should include the costs involved in the letters.

The proposal was unanimously accepted, and the four letters were adopted.

Committee Draft Report on Algerian Study Tour
Dr Schoeman suggested that the Report be adopted and submitted to Parliament without the recommendations. The Committee agreed.

The meeting was adjourned.