ATC221017: Report of the Select Committee on Petitions and Executive Undertakings on the hearing of Brauteseth Petition, held on 04 August 2022, as adopted on 13 October 2022

NCOP Petitions and Executive Undertakings

Report of the Select Committee on Petitions and Executive Undertakings on the hearing of Brauteseth Petition, held on 04 August 2022, as adopted on 13 October 2022

 

1. BACKGROUND

 

The Select Committee on Petitions and Executive Undertakings (Committee), having considered the Brauteseth Petition, referred to the Committee by the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), for its consideration and resolution, reports as follows:

 

The Brauteseth Petition (petition) was submitted to the NCOP by Mr T Brauteseth, MP (the petitioner), on behalf of the disgruntled community members of the Dr Nkosazana Zuma Local Municipality and Harry Gwala District Municipality (the municipalities).

 

The petitioner alleges that the aforementioned municipalities are facing water challenges due to poor planning and failure to maintain water infrastructure. It requests the NCOP to investigate the state of water infrastructure and inadequate performance by the officials in these municipalities.

 

 

 2.         HEARING

 

On 04 August 2022, the Committee held a hearing on the petition via virtual, where the petitioner and relevant stakeholders were invited.  The purpose was to afford the petitioner and relevant stakeholders with an opportunity to make first-hand oral submissions in relation to the subject matter of the petition.

 

1.    Committee Members and Officials

 

The following Committee Members were in attendance:

 

2.1.1   Hon A D Maleka, ANC, Mpumalanga (Chairperson);

2.1.2   Hon N Ndongeni, ANC, Eastern Cape;

2.1.3             Hon E M Mthethwa, ANC, Limpopo;

2.1.4   Hon B M Bartlett, ANC, Northern Cape;

2.1.5   Hon T S C Dodovu, ANC, North West;

2.1.6   Hon I M Sileku, DA, Western Cape

2.1.7   Hon C Visser, DA, North West;

2.1.8   Hon K Motsamai, EFF, Gauteng, and

2.1.9   Hon S Zandamela, EFF, Mpumalanga

 

The following Committee officials were in attendance:

 

2.1.10   Mr N Mkhize, Committee Secretary;

2.1.11   Mr X Simelane, Researcher/Acting Content Advisor;

2.1.12   Mr. M Erasmus, Committee Assistant, and

2.1.13   Mrs F Fakier, Executive Secretary

           

2.2       Stakeholders

 

The following stakeholders were in attendance:

 

2.2.1    Mr T Brauteseth, MP, Petitioner;

2.2.2    Representatives from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs: HOD- Mr T Tubane; DDG- Ms Mgutshini; Ms M Nyathi; Ms G Nene; Ms S Mchunu; Ms N Nembula; Ms Z Ngcobo-Khumalo and Ms P Balo-Sakuba

2.2.3    Representatives from the Harry Gwala District Municipality, Municipal Manager-Ms D Gqiba and Executive Director of Water Services-Mr. S Ngiba

 

    

1. SUBMISSIONS BY THE PETITIONER

 

The oral submission on behalf of the community members of the Nkosazana Zuma Local Municipality and Harry Gwala District Municipality (the Municipalities) was led by Hon T Brauteseth (the petitioner).

           In his opening remarks, the petitioner made the Committee aware that the petition was submitted in 2019, indicating that it had taken three years to be afforded such an opportunity to raise this matter. Submitting that the problem had already been sorted out in late 2019 and early 2020. Regarding following issues as raised in the petition resolved by the municipalities:

• Issues of water challenges due to poor planning and
• Failure to maintain water infrastructure.

           Lastly, the petitioner suggested that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (the Department), must issue a directive that every Municipal Management should conduct a skills audit amongst its residents and form technical task teams to work with municipalities. In doing so, people with relevant skills are able to assist for free cutting out procurement issues by fixing things when they happen.

  .

1. SUBMISSIONS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS

In his brief submission to the Committee Mr T Tubane, the Head of the Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, reported to the Committee that the issues raised in the petition have been attended to as indicated by the petitioner.

In closing his submissions, he agrees with the suggestion tabled by the petitioner to the Committee, to bring all those who have the required capacity to assist the municipality when needed.

 

 

5.       SUBMISSION BY THE HARRY GWALA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

 

Submissions by the Municipality were led by Ms D Gqiba, the Municipal Manager (the MM). The MM commenced her submissions by first acknowledging that the issues raised in the petition are events that took place. She further concurred that they have been resolved as submitted by the petitioner and the HOD of the Department.

The MM informed the Committee that as a Municipality they no longer have major challenges as before, attributing it to working together with the communities, in particular Nkosazana Zuma Local Municipality.

Lastly, the MM informed the Committee that the Municipality now have a war room for water related issues and made an assurance that by the end of August 2022, war rooms will be lodged in all Local Municipalities.

 

1. OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 

In noting the submissions made by the petitioner, the Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the Harry Gwala District Municipality in relation to the subject matter of the petition that the issues raised in the petition have been resolved. The Committee observed that the submissions made have been adequately implemented and therefore recommends that the petition be closed.

 

   Report to be considered