FIRST REPORT OF JOINT RULES COMMITTEE, 2009

The Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, as co-chairpersons of the Joint Rules Committee, present the First Report of the Joint Rules Committee, dated 25 June 2009, as follows:

The Joint Rules Committee, having on 18 June 2009 considered the establishment and non-establishment of joint structures, reports as follows:

(1) Co-chairpersons for joint committees

The Joint Rules Committee decided that as a general principle joint committees shall have co-chairpersons.

Recommendation

It is therefore recommended that, where applicable, joint committees shall have co-chairpersons.

(2) Constitutional Review Committee

The Joint Rules Committee decided that the composition and party breakdown of the Constitutional Review Committee in regard to the Assembly component mirror the composition and party breakdown of portfolio committees as follows: ANC 8; DA 2; Cope 1; IFP 1; and other parties 2; and that the Council component be constituted as follows: ANC 6; DA 1; Cope 1 and IFP 1, the party breakdown of the Council component being subject to review.

Recommendation

It is therefore recommended that, in order to give effect to the decision of the Joint Rules Committee, Joint Rule 98(1) be amended by the deletion of the numbers in bold and insertion of the numbers underlined:

98(1) The Joint Committee consists of [45] 14 Assembly members and [24] 9 Council members.

(3) Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests

The Joint Rules Committee decided that the composition and party breakdown of the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests in regard to the Assembly component mirror the composition and party breakdown of portfolio committees as follows: ANC 8; DA 2; Cope 1; IFP 1; and other parties 2; and that the Council component be constituted as follows: ANC 6; DA 1; Cope 1 and ID 1. The Joint Rules Committee also decided that the rule dealing with the non-remuneration of the chairperson and deputy chairperson be deleted.

Recommendations

It is therefore recommended that Joint Rule 122(1) be amended by the deletion of the number in bold and insertion of the number underlined:

122(1) The Joint Committee consists of [18] 14 Assembly members and 9 Council members.

It is further recommended that Joint Rule 123(2) dealing with the non-remuneration of the chairperson and deputy chairperson be deleted.

(4) Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women

The Joint Rules Committee decided that since the Assembly had established the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities and since the Council had established the Select Committee on Women, Children and Disabled Persons, Joint Rules 128 to 132 in regard to the Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women were no longer required and should be deleted.

The Joint Rules Committee further decided that references to the Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women in Rules 137A to 137F pertaining to the Multiparty Women’s Caucus should be removed and that the above-mentioned Rules be amended accordingly by the Joint Subcommittee on Review of the Joint Rules.

Recommendations

It is therefore recommended that –

(a) Joint Rules 128 to 132 be deleted; and

(b) as a result of this deletion, Joint Rules 137A to 137F in relation to the Multiparty Women’s Caucus be amended accordingly to remove all references to the Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women and that the matter of amending the Rules be referred to the Joint Subcommittee on Review of the Joint Rules for drafting.

(5) Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Children, Youth and Disabled Persons

The Joint Rules Committee decided that since the Assembly had established the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities and since the Council had established the Select Committee on Women, Children and Disabled Persons, Joint Rules 132A to 132E in regard to the Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Children, Youth and Disabled Persons were no longer required and should be deleted.

Recommendation

It is therefore recommended that Joint Rules 132A to 132E be deleted.

(6) Joint Monitoring Committee on Reconstruction and Development

The Joint Rules Committee decided not to operationalise Joint Rules 133 to 137 in regard to the Joint Monitoring Committee on Reconstruction and Development, which had not been operationalised in the Second and Third Parliaments.

Recommendation

It is therefore recommended that Joint Rules 133 to 137 be deleted.

(7) Oversight mechanism of Parliament

The Joint Rules Committee decided that the Joint Rules should be reviewed in view of the provisions of the Financial Management of Parliament Act, No 10 of 2009, which require that the composition of an oversight mechanism of Parliament must be in accordance with the Joint Rules of Parliament.

Recommendation

It is therefore recommended that the drafting of rules in regard to the oversight mechanism of Parliament be referred to the Joint Subcommittee on Review of the Joint Rules for processing.

Report to be considered.

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M V Sisulu, MP M J Mahlangu, MP

Speaker of the National Assembly Chairperson of the NCOP