Local Government: Municipal Systems Amendment Bill: Committee Report & Determination of remuneration of Public Office Bearers of CRL Rights Commission: Committee Report

Meeting report

Report of Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on the Municipal Systems Amendment Bill [B2-2019]
The Chairperson took the Committee through the report and its amendments, with a particular emphasis on the clauses that were added to the report and the decisions taken by the Committee on each clause.

The report was adopted with the relevant amendments.

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on Determination of Remuneration of the Public Office Bearers of the CRL Rights Commission

The Chairperson took the Committee through the report. She said the report is very old, but it was decided that the report was to be sent to the Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture but it should not have been apportioned to that Committee. The report was originally sent to the wrong Committee.

Mr C Brink (DA) asked whether it was usual for these things to serve before Portfolio Committees and if it is just for noting.

The Chairperson responded that it is for the Committee to note and concur. There is a letter from the President that stated reasons why the other Commissioners cannot get an increase based on the situation we are in as a country and the economy. She stated that she had never seen a situation in which the President would comment. The report comes to the Committee which then goes to Council. Unless there is a contrary view, that they must not get a salary increase.

Mr Brink then asked whether it would go forward to the National Assembly.

The Chairperson confirmed that it would. The Committee is going to debate it and Members will be given an opportunity to deliberate on the report.

Mr Brink stated that there did not seem to be anything objectionable and it seemed to be about the financial situation of the country and government. He suggested that they should let the report go through.

The Chairperson asked whether Mr Brink wanted a declaration on the report. She stated that the Committee can deal with the matter in the programme. It is an opportunity to also deliberate on the work of the Chapter.

Mr Brink agreed and said that they should let it go through but that he was feeling apprehensive because he did not have the mandate for those matters but agreed that they should discuss it at the National Assembly.

The report was adopted.

Preliminary Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

The Chairperson took the Committee through the report.

The report was adopted.

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on Oversight Visit to the Limpopo Province, 10-16 October 2019
The Chairperson took the Committee through the report.

The report was adopted.

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on Oversight Visit to Kwa-Zulu Natal Province, 06-09 October 2020
The Chairperson took the Committee through the report. She asked for elaboration on the apologies under the composition of the delegation section of the report to say that those Members were sick. She commented that the report also needed to include a commendation of the way the province, including SALGA, packaged the recommendation in terms of assisting the Committee in performing its oversight. The House Chairperson accompanied the Committee on their visit and needed to be recognised as the matters he was raising were very useful to the Committee and enriched its oversight.

The report was adopted.

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on Oversight Visit to Gauteng Province, 12-16 October 2020
The Chairperson took the Committee through the report. She commented that the elaboration of apologies needed to be added much like in the report before the current one.

Mr Brink asked for clarity on page 5, paragraph 6 of the Member’s observations on the point of less privatisation of water. He expressed uncertainty on what the phrase meant as there is not privatisation of water.

The Committee drafting team agreed that they would remove the phrase as there was no recollection of it being mentioned by the Members.

Mr I Groenewald (FF+) drew the Committee’s attention to page 12, paragraph 10 of the report. The consequence management for smart period infrastructure project was just one of the issues. The other issue that was raised was about Glad Africa. He suggested that paragraph 10 should be expanded to include it by saying as well as other contracts that are sources of irregular expenditure.

The report was adopted.

The meeting was adjourned.