Water and Sanitation
National Assembly Committee
About this committee
Oversight responsibility of Water and Sanitation Portfolio Committee
The Water and Sanitation Portfolio Committee is responsible for oversight of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) as well as the following statutory entities:
Consolidated water boards
Trans‐Caledon Tunnel Authority
Water Trading Entity
Breede‐Gouritz Catchment Management Agency
Inkomati‐Usuthu Catchment Management Agency
Committees conduct their business on behalf of the House and report back on matters referred to them.
Learn more about the work of this Committee: Legacy Reports
The role and functions of Committees in Parliament (provided by Parliament)
In accordance with the powers given to it by the Constitution, the National Assembly establishes a range of committees with assigned powers and functions. The committees are required to report regularly on their activities and to make recommendations to the House for debate and decision. A large part of the Assembly’s role in the law‑making process happens in committees and much of its oversight over the executive is also done through committees, particularly the portfolio committees.
There is a portfolio committee for each corresponding government department. The composition of the committees reflects, as far as is practicable, the numerical strengths of the parties represented in the Assembly. That committee will deliberate on bills covering that department’s area of jurisdiction and scrutinise and report on its annual budget and strategic plan. As the people’s representatives, members of the committees determine whether government departments are delivering on what they promised and whether they are spending the public money they receive in a responsible manner. As part of their oversight work, committees may also do site visits where they find out directly from the people at ground level whether the government is delivering on its promises.
If a committee reports on a matter and makes certain recommendations, that report will be debated in a full sitting or plenary to give other members of the House an opportunity to engage with the content of the report. Once the report has been debated, the House decides whether to adopt the committee’s recommendations. The House may also decide only to note the report or it may refer the report back to the committee with an instruction to do further work
Broadly speaking, the mandates of Committees are to consider and process legislation referred to it; exercise oversight over the Department and entities reporting to it; consider international agreements referred to it; consider the budget vote of the Department and its entities; facilitate public participation in its processes; and to consider all other matters referred to it in terms of legislation and the Rules of Parliament
Working in Committees allows Parliament to:
-Increase the amount of work that can be done
-Ensure that issues can be debated in more detail than in plenary sessions
-Increase the level of participation of Members of Parliament (MPs) in discussions
-Enable MPs to develop expertise and in-depth knowledge of the specific Committee's area of work
-Provide a platform for the public to present views directly to MPs, something which is not possible in a plenary sitting of Parliament
-Provide an environment for Parliament to hear evidence and collect information related to the work of a specific Committee
Powers
Rule 167 of the National Assembly Rules (9th Edition) say that for the purposes of performing its functions committee may, subject to the Constitution, legislation, the other provisions of these rules and resolutions of the Assembly –
-Summon any person to appear before it to give evidence on oath or affirmation, or to produce documents
-Receive petitions, representations or submissions from interested persons or institutions
-Permit oral evidence on petitions, representations, submissions and any other matter before the committee
-Conduct public hearings
-Consult any Assembly or Council committee or subcommittee, or any joint committee or subcommittee
-Determine its own working arrangements
-Meet at a venue determined by it, which may be a venue beyond the seat of Parliament
-Meet on any and at any time, including –
- On a day which is not a working day
- On a day on which the Assembly is not sitting
- At a time when the Assembly is not sitting, or
- During a recess
-Exercise any other powers assigned to it by the Constitution, legislation, the other provisions of these rules or resolutions of the Assembly
Committee Membership
Committee membership is distributed among the parties roughly in proportion to the seats they get in Parliament, so if a party wins 20% of the seats, its MPs will occupy about 20% of committee positions.
The NA Rules Committee agreed that all Committees will be comprised of 11 Members: ANC – 6; DA – 2; EFF – 1; other parties – 2.
Where it is practicably possible, each party is entitled to at least one representative in a Committee.
Read More: A note to the Sixth Parliament: Committee Membership
Read More: A Note to the Sixth Parliament: The critical role of Committee Chairperson
Committees in Practice
With the agreement of members, the Committee staff sets the dates and times of committee meetings. The frequency of committee meetings is determined by a committee’s work programme but it is normal for a committee to meet weekly. From time to time, committees can meet more than once a week if they work programme so demands.
Section 59(1)(b) of the Constitution requires that the National Assembly and it’s committees conduct their business in an open manner and hold their sittings in public. Section 59(2) states that the National Assembly may not exclude the public or the media unless it is ‘reasonable and justifiable to do so in an open and democratic society’. Rule 184(2) of the Rules of the National Assembly further require that any decision to exclude the public from a committee meeting or part thereof must be taken ‘after due consideration’ by that committee
Who attends Committee Meetings?:
MPs (those assigned to the committee and if they so wish, any other MP)
Committee Staff: Committee Secretary, Committee Assistant, Researcher, Content Advisor
Departments, entities, organizations, individuals and experts who are invited by the Committee to speak and be questioned
Parliamentary Legal Advisor (from time to time)
Media
General Public
THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES OF PARLIAMENT
Portfolio Committees
The National Assembly (NA) appoints from among its members a number of Portfolio Committees to shadow the work of the various national government departments.
Select Committees
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) appoints from its permanent members a number of Select Committees to shadow the work of the various national government departments and to deal with Bills.
Because only 54 of the 90 NCOP Members are permanent delegates compared to the 400 of the NA, the Select Committees oversee the work of more than one national government department.
Public Accounts Committees
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Public Accounts acts as Parliament's watchdog over the way taxpayers' money is spent by the Executive. Every year the Auditor-General tables reports on the accounts and financial management of the various government departments and State institutions.
Heads of government departments and institutions are regularly called by this committee to report and account for expenditure. The Committee can recommend that the National Assembly takes corrective actions if necessary.
Internal Committees
The National Assembly has a number of internal committees that deal with matters affecting the running of Parliament. The Committees normally consist of senior Members of Parliament. The Rules Committee and its sub-committees deal with House rules. There are structures to deal with support for Members, internal arrangements, disciplinary matters and powers and privileges of members. Other internal Committees are the Programme Committee that plans the work of the Assembly, the Disciplinary Committee, and the Committee of Chairpersons.
The National Council of Provinces also has its own domestic Committees. The Rules Committee and its subcommittees deal with the NCOP rules. There are structures to deal with support for Members, internal arrangements, disciplinary matters and powers and privileges of members. The Programme Committee plans the work of the NCOP and the Committee of Chairpersons make recommendations about the functioning of Committees and other NCOP forums.
Ad hoc Committees
Parliament or one of its Houses may appoint an ad hoc (temporary) Committee when a special task must be done. When the task is complete, the Committee is dissolved.
Joint Committees
The National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces together appoint a number of joint committees.
There are six Joint Committees:
- Constitutional Review Committee
- Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence
- Joint Standing Committee on Defence
- Committee on Multi-Party Women’s Caucus
- Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament
- Joint Standing Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests
The committees play a very important role in the process of building democracy and involving the public in the processes and activities of Parliament.
No results.
NW4594 by Mr I M Groenewald - (1) With reference to his reply to question... | |
NW4589 by Mrs M R Mohlala - Considering that the total surface water... | |
NW4588 by Mrs M R Mohlala - With reference to the estimation that, based... | |
NW4533 by Mr K P Sithole - Whether his department has any alternative... | |
NW4344 by Ms A M van Zyl - Whether his department has been informed of... | |
NW4283 by Mrs M R Mohlala - What is the (a) current backlog in the... | |
NW4595 by D W Bryant - (1)With reference to Part 9 of the National... | |
NW4254 by Mr K Ceza - (1)What (a) impact has load shedding had on... | |
NW4107 by Mrs T P Msane - What steps has his department taken to... | |
NW4233 by Ms S A Buthelezi - (1)Whether his department has implemented... | |
NW4417 by Mr J Engelbrecht - What is the (a) total number of staff employed... | |
NW4284 by Mrs M R Mohlala - What (a) total number of resolutions has he... | |
NW4271 by Mr T Mogale - What (a) has he found to be the prevalence of... | |
NW4259 by Ms A M Siwisa - With reference to his reply to question 753... | |
NW4257 by Mrs S M Mokgotho - (a) What plans has his department put in place... | |
NW4256 by Mrs S M Mokgotho - What intervention has been made to ensure that... | |
NW4086 by Mrs S M Mokgotho - On what date will adequate water supply be... | |
NW3872 by Mr N G Myburgh - With reference to the Auditor-General’s... | |
NW3904 by Mrs S M Mokgotho - (1)By what date will his department install a... | |
NW3905 by Mrs S M Mokgotho - What plans did his department put in place to... | |
NW3886 by Ms S A Buthelezi - Following reports that the residents of the... | |
NW3577 by Ms S A Buthelezi - (1)Given that parts of the Republic are... | |
NW3801 by Mrs V van Dyk - (1) (a) What water sources do the mining... | |
NW3908 by Mr T M Langa - What (a) has he found are the main causes of... | |
NW3913 by Ms N Tafeni - (a) What is the total number of water boards... | |
NW3932 by Mrs M R Mohlala - What total amount has his department spent on... | |
NW3817 by Ms A M M Weber - (1) How will he assist the community of... | |
NW3427 by Mrs L F Tito - Whether he has been informed that residents of... | |
NW3773 by Mrs M R Mohlala - Whether he has engaged with Eskom to exclude... | |
NW3617 by Mrs C Phillips - Whether he has been informed of the extended... | |
NW3702 by Mrs M R Mohlala - (a) How was the budget for the R3 billion bulk... | |
NW3701 by Mrs M R Mohlala - (a) What measures of intervention have been... | |
NW3772 by Mrs M R Mohlala - What steps of intervention has his department... | |
NW3770 by Mrs T P Msane - What steps has he taken in reducing the... | |
NW3858 by Ms S A Buthelezi - (1)What are the relevant details of how his... | |
NW3347 by Mrs E R Wilson - (1)With reference to the sewerage plants in... | |
NW3464 by Ms S A Buthelezi - (1)Whether his department has conducted recent... | |
NW3703 by Mrs M R Mohlala - (1)What are the reasons that the north and... | |
NW3687 by Mrs C C S Motsepe - What are the reasons that the Bela-Bela... | |
NW3619 by Mrs C Phillips - Whether, in light of the increasing demand for... | |
NW3618 by Mrs C Phillips - Whether he will implement mitigating measures... | |
NW3556 by Mr P Mey - (1)Whether his department has been informed... | |
NW3549 by Mrs M O Clarke - (1)Whether, with reference to the report on... | |
NW3364 by Ms S A Buthelezi - (1)Whether his department has conducted recent... | |
NW3286 by Mr P Mey - (1)Whether his department has been informed... | |
NW3300 by Ms S A Buthelezi - Given that the Green Drop report indicates... | |
NW2778 by Mrs C Phillips - What number of water use licences have been... | |
NW3488 by Mrs M O Clarke - (1)Regarding the report on Gravelotte Mines... | |
NW3375 by Mr A Matumba - By what date will provisions for adequate... | |
NW2691 by Mr M G E Hendricks - Whether he has been advised that 5 000... |
Attendance
Ranked 34 out of 125 for NAMembership
-
Buthelezi, Ms SAIFP
-
Hendricks, Mr MGEAl Jama-ah
-
Matuba, Ms M MANC
-
Mohlala, Ms MREFF
-
Sihlwayi, Ms NNANC
-
Tafeni, Ms NEFF
-
Tseke, Ms GKANC
-
Tseki, Mr MAANC
Contact
Secretaries of Committee:
Nosipho Bavuma
Cell: 060 550 9892
Email: nbavuma@parliament.gov.za
Secretary To Chairperson:
Khayalethu Vellem
Email: kvellem@parliament.gov.za