Committee Report on 2011 strategic plan & budget of Department of Justice & Constitutional Development; Committee's Strategic Plan & Programme; Study Tour deliberations

Meeting report

Committee Report on Budget Vote 24: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
The Chairperson tabled the report for consideration.
The Committee approved the report without amendments.
Committee Strategic Plan
The Committee Researcher briefed the Committee on its draft strategic plan. The report highlighted the Committee’s vision, mission and mandate. It also highlighted the Committee’s emphasis on carrying out more oversight visits.

Mr D Bloem (Free State; COPE) suggested that the titles mentioned on a page in the strategic plan be clearly stated.

The Committee adopted the plan with amendments.

Committee Programme
The Chairperson tabled the programme for consideration. The programme listed the Committee’s planned meetings for the remainder of the year.
Members made minor changes and thereafter approved the programme.
Study Tour Deliberations
The Chairperson said that there had been a moratorium on international study tours prior to the local government elections. After the elections, the Committee’s study tour had been cancelled. The Committee could not go on a tour two weeks after the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development had carried out such a tour.

Mr T Byleveldt (Western Cape; DA) said that there should be more of a focus on conducting oversight trips on the part of the Committee. Departments needed to be effectively held to account for their expenditure.  

The Chairperson said that two of the Committee’s planned oversight trips had been denied. The Committee had put in another application for an oversight trip.
Mr J Gunda (Northern Cape; ID) commented that the Committee had been denied the opportunity to go on a study tour before with the National Assembly Committees getting preference. It was concerning that a pattern seemed to be developing where the National Assembly seemed to be more important than the National Council of Provinces. International study tours were not necessarily of premium importance but the main focus of the NCOP was on service delivery at a provincial level. If the Committee could visit various parts of the country to perform its oversight duty, that would be satisfactory. To be denied that opportunity arbitrarily was wrong. 

Mr A Matila (Gauteng; ANC) said that the National Assembly Committees were empathetic to the NCOPs situation and had expressed dissatisfaction with the situation. 

Mr M Mokgobi (Limpopo; ANC) commented that it was disempowering to be denied the opportunity to go on the study tour.

Mr Gunda said that the Whipery and a delegation of Chairpersons were going on a study tour to India in July. The awarding of approval for tours seemed selective.

The Chairperson thanked Members for their attendance.

The meeting was adjourned