Hon Speaker, hon President, I move:
That the House, in terms of Joint Rule 138(4) and subject to the concurrence of the National Council of Provinces, ratifies the decision by the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports, 26 November 2010, p 4265) on the appointment in terms of Joint Rule 138(1)(b) of a Joint Ad Hoc Committee on the Second Implementation Report on South Africa's African Peer Review Programme of Action, the committee to -
1) consist of 14 members, as follows: ANC 4, DA 2, Cope 1, IFP 1, other parties 1 and NCOP 5;
2) be co-chaired by the House Chairpersons responsible for committees in the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces;
3) develop a programme for Parliament's response to the Second Implementation Report on South Africa's African Peer Review Programme of Action;
4) liaise with the Peer Review Governing Council and Focal Point;
5) oversee and co-ordinate the work of related task teams;
6) exercise those powers in Joint Rule 32 that may assist it in carrying out its task; and
7) report to the Houses by no later than 30 April 2011.
Agreed to.
Mr Speaker, on a point of order: Might I just raise the fact that one of the motions that have been withdrawn concerns the whole question of the Ad Hoc Committee on Protection of Information Bill.
That is a matter that has been withdrawn that is going to be discussed, I am told, at the Chief Whips' Forum. However, our view - and it is the considered view of all the opposition parties - is that that committee has ceased to exist, as its mandate expired on 28 January.
The fact of the matter is that this morning that committee sat. Opposition members indicated that they would not actually attend that meeting, therefore, I want to know what the status of that meeting is. [Interjections.]
SPEAKER: Order! Hon member, there is a point of order.
Hon Speaker, actually the motion that the Chief Whip has moved has nothing to do with what the hon member is talking about. He is actually referring to the motion that has to do with the African Peer Review Mechanism, APRM.
That is correct; we are actually on the first motion. The other one is still coming up, but you can finish what you have to say.
Speaker, I don't want to rise again, but I think I have indicated exactly what our feeling is in that regard. But if it is necessary, I will rise again.
Hon Speaker, I wish to inform this House that I am not going to move motions 2, 3 and 4, pending consultations in the Chief Whips' Forum that will be sitting tomorrow.
Thank you. Hon member, on what point are you now rising?
Well, I am rising because the very issue at stake here is the status of a committee meeting that sat this morning and discussed that very issue. Now, if that committee has ceased to exist, in terms of the Rules of Parliament, how can it meet and even begin to take a decision?
Thank you, hon member. That is a matter for the committee to debate.
Speaker, on a point of order: That is not a matter for the committee; it is a matter for Parliament to decide. Parliament actually establishes the committee and gives it its terms of reference. Those terms of reference are time-bound and once that time has expired, that committee ceases to exist in terms of the Rules of Parliament.
I will quote you a section if necessary: It is section 2(1)(c). It is quite specific as far as that is concerned.
Order! Hon member, it is a committee matter and I really want us to proceed.
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
What is your point of order, hon member?
Mr Speaker, the Chief Whip of the Majority Party has withdrawn these three motions that are on the Order Paper. This raises an issue of applicability of the Rules and the possible abuse of power by the office of the Speaker.
By withdrawing the three motions, the Chief Whip of the Majority Party is preventing this House from debating this issue. I submit to you, Mr Speaker, that once tabled on the Order Paper with the consent of everyone, the motions belong to the House and we should have an opportunity, as the Chief Whip of the Opposition is suggesting, to actually discuss what went on; how was it possible for something so outrageous to go through, then prompting a necessary withdrawal as has happened now?
Order! Hon member, that does not belong to the House until the House has moved it. The House has not moved it and so it does not belong to the House.