Acting Chairperson Election; Preparation for Gauteng Land Claims Committee Meeting

Meeting report

AGRICULTURE AND LAND AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
25 May 2005
ACTING CHAIRPERSON ELECTION; PREPARATION FOR GAUTENG LAND CLAIMS COMMITTEE MEETING

Chairperson: Ms E Ngaleka (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Minutes of Proceedings of National Assembly: Thursday 19 May 2005 (Appendix)

SUMMARY
The Committee elected its Acting Chairperson, Ms E Ngaleka (ANC), and discussed their upcoming meeting with the Gauteng Land Claims Committee in Johannesburg on 27 May 2005.

MINUTES

Meeting with the Gauteng Land Claims Committee
The Committee Clerk, Mr Jerry Boltina, referred Members to the letter they had received on 24 August 2004 from the Gauteng Land Restitution Committee (GLRC) requesting a meeting. They also looked at an article that appeared in the 28 September 2004 edition of The Sowetan, that had slammed that fact that only one of the three MPs (Ms N Gxowa of the ANC) who had promised to meet them in Germiston on 22 September, had done so. The Portfolio Committee Secretary, Mr E Mafani, had written to the GLRC that same day, complaining that the newspaper report had not mentioned that the meeting had been rescheduled because MPs were on Parliamentary recess.

The Committee had assured the Gauteng Land Restitution Committee at the beginning of 2005 that they would consider their issues during this year. After the Budget Speech, a meeting had been scheduled for 27 May 2005.

Mr Boltina said that a delegation, consisting of six ANC Members and four Opposition Party Members, would be sent to Johannesburg. The meeting would occur at 10am and Members would return on the same day. They still had to determine the duration of the meeting. The Committee had written and confirmed that the meeting would take place. The letter said the Committee would appreciate if leaders of the GLRC were present, but he was unsure on who would attend.

Mr B Radebe (ANC) said that the former Chairperson, Mr N Masithela (ANC), had made the commitment from the Portfolio Committee, and they should therefore treat it as a special case. Mr S Holomisa (ANC) asked whether it was too late to inform the GLRC of the new developments, as Mr Masithela was no longer the Chairperson.

Mr Boltina said the Gauteng Land Restitution Committee had not been informed of the new developments as the programme of the previous meeting had been adopted, and therefore should be implemented. The Office should be provided with the names of Members who would attend the meeting. Mr Nel felt the Committee should still be able to decide whether to go to Gauteng.

Mr van Niekerk said that the Portfolio Committee had not been in possession of the documents when the programme was adopted. The article in The Sowetan had created pressure on the Committee to go to Gauteng. This had created a precedent and he stressed that the Committee should not get into the same position again

Acting Chairperson election
The Committee Clerk, Mr J Boltina, referred Members to the Minutes of Proceedings of National Assembly of 19 May 2005 (attached). The Chairperson had not been part of the Committee and the meeting should nominate an Acting Chairperson until a final decision could take place.

Mr B Radebe (ANC) proposed Ms E Ngaleka (ANC) and Mr D Dlali (ANC) seconded the nomination. The Committee discussed Ms Ngaleka’s alleged involvement in the misuse of travel vouchers and that she had been under investigation. Ms Ngaleka was elected as Acting Chairperson, on the presumption of ‘innocent until proven guity’.

The meeting was adjourned.

Appendix:

Thursday, 19 May 2005: No 18 - 2005] Second Session, Third Parliament

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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The Speaker announced that the vacancy caused by the resignation from the National Assembly of Mr N H Masithela had been filled by the nomination, with effect from 18 May 2005, of Mr L P Khoarai.

Mr L P Khoarai, accompanied by Mr L J Modisenyane and Ms N P Khunou, made and subscribed the oath, and took his seat.

[14:05] Notices of motion.

[14:06] Mr S K Louw, on behalf of the Chief Whip of the Majority Party, moved: That the existing Rule 105(7) and (8) be replaced by the following:

105 (7): In the absence of a Minister who may respond to a statement as envisaged in Subrule (6), the relevant Deputy Minister or any other Minister must be given an opportunity to respond on behalf of the absent Minister.

105 (8): Ministerial responses must be taken in the following order of preference: Minister as envisaged in Subrule (6), the relevant Deputy Minister, or a Minister responding on behalf of the absent Minister. Agreed to.

[14:07] Members’ statements.

The House adjourned at 14:31.

Z A DINGANI, Secretary to Parliament