Committee Reports on Department & Public Entities Annual Reports; Gautrain Project hearings: adoption

Meeting report

TRANSPORT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
16 November 2005
COMMITTEE REPORTS ON DEPARTMENT & PUBLIC ENTITIES ANNUAL REPORTS; GAUTRAIN PROJECT HEARINGS: ADOPTION

Chairperson: Mr. J Cronin (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Committee Report on Public Hearings on the proposed Gautrain
Dr Mostert's commentary on SA Public Transport Policy, with Emphasis on Gautrain Scheme
Two documents from Dr Mostert’s
Committee Report on Department Annual Report

SUMMARY
The Committee considered and adopted the Committee Report on the Department and its Public Entities Annual Reports, the Committee Report on Public Hearings on Gautrain Project and Dr Mostert's Commentary on South African Public Transport Policy, with Emphasis on the Gautrain Scheme.

MINUTES
The Committee agreed to the changes suggested by the Chair to the Committee Reports. Members raised further amendment suggestions (see below) and the Committee mandated the Chairperson to make these changes. The Committee was briefed by the Chair on the written submission by Dr Vaughan Mostert (Senior Lecturer: Transport, University of Johannesburg) entitled Commentary on South African Transport Policy with emphasis on then Gautrain Scheme. The Committee resolved that the Chair paraphrase the submission and include it in the Committee Report on Public Hearings on the proposed Gautrain Project. The Committee adopted all the reports.

Discussion
Mr. L Mashile (ANC) proposed that the Committee Report on Public Hearings on the Department and its Public Entities Annual Reports, should mention all the entities that had submitted their annual reports on time as well as those that had failed to do so.

Mr S Farrow (DA) added that the format of the report needed to provide a clearer picture of the entities that were involved in the process.

Ms N Khunou (ANC) felt that the report needed to highlight the reported intention of the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) to incorporate Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in the near future which had job creation implications.

Mr. Farrow proposed that the report also cover the Committee’s concern about lack of organised labor representation on the Rail Safety Regular (RSR) Board as required by legislation.

Mr. O Mogale (ANC) was concerned that the Rail Safety Regulator had problems with unutilised funds, the nonperformance of its Audit Committee and finally the manner in which they approached budgeting. He felt that these issues needed to be reflected in the report.

The Chair was requested to highlight that the Committee hoped to have more time to scrutinise submitted reports in the future.

Mr. Mashile further suggested that entities should be encouraged to submit reports again in the near future to enable the Committee sufficient time to go through all reports.

The Committee agreed to the reports with the above amendments included. The Chair thanked the Committee for its dedication. He advised members to spend time with their families while they also focused on the upcoming local government elections.

The meeting was adjourned.