Meeting report

Postponement of Discussion on the analysis of 2014 State of the Nation Address (SONA)

The Chairperson read out apologies for Mr R Shah (DA) and Ms X Makasi (ANC). He informed Members that the President’s SONA was incomplete, as he would only address his plan of action after the elections during the next SONA. He therefore argued that the Committee would be “putting the cart before the horse” by doing an analysis before the completion of the address as only a five-year review of the Government was done. He proposed that the analysis be postponed to a later date.

Ms J Makueke (ANC) moved to support the motion that the analysis be postponed to a later date.

Ms M Njobe (COPE) asked why it was not possible for the Committee to review the five-year report, highlighting that the Committee had been present for five years and it should have something to say on the five-year review.

The Chairperson replied that the Committee’s review would form the Legacy Report of Parliament as a whole as there would be Legacy report of different Committees and Legacy report of Parliament.

Ms Njobe commented that the Committee’s analysis was not in connection with the next SONA.

Mr S Farrow (DA) commented that the SONA dealt with historic events as opposed to matters going forward; hence matters going forward would be analysed by the new Committee on how to merge futuristic plans with the SONA. Personally, he liked to look ahead rather than behind. He therefore proposed that the analysis be postponed till after the next SONA. Should there be any continuity of issues going forward; the Committee should identify possible challenges and how to deal with them.

Ms Njobe wondered if the Committee had nothing to say about the current SONA rather than wait for the next address as the next Committee would be newly constituted and not all the current members would be present. She suggested that the current Committee do a review and the next Committee be briefed on the issues and challenges.

The Chairperson agreed that the analysis be done after the next SONA.

Mr Farrow commented that the National Development Plans on Tourism presented at the last Tourism Summit had reported the issues and challenges and it would be unnecessary to duplicate it now.

Postponement of Discussion on Draft Committee legacy Report

The Chairperson advised Members to study the Draft Committee Legacy Report for May 2009 to March 2014.

It was agreed that the document would be reviewed at a later date.

Postponement of Adoption of Minutes of 5 November 2013 and 28 January 2014

The Chairperson commented that the Committee was not in a position to adopt the outstanding minutes (dated 5 November 2013 and 28 January 2014) as there was no quorum.

The Chairperson proposed that consideration of the minutes be deferred to the next meeting. He added that Members should submit their inputs to the Secretary for consideration before the next sitting.

Other Matter

The Committee Secretary announced that the provincial Oversight Report for Western Cape was being drafted and was yet to be finalised. The report would be sent to Members for comments upon finalisation.

The Meeting was adjourned.