Committee Report on North West Province oversight

Meeting report

The Chairperson confirmed having received apologies from Mr Mohapi (Free State) and Mr Chetty (Kwa Zulu Natal).

North West Oversight visit: Preparations and Programme
The Chairperson stated that the agenda is to look at the Programme for 13 and 14 September where the Committee will be in the North West Province to conduct oversight. Members are in agreement that the Committee be split into two groups so as to be more productive.

Mr M Monakedi (ANC; Limpopo) will shift to group 2. Ms T Motara (ANC; Gauteng) will be abroad and Mr E Makue (Gauteng) is tied up with legislation and will not be able to assist.

The staff component will assist the 2 groups. Departure will be on 12 September 2018 and the first flight is around 8pm, arriving at OR Tambo at around 10 pm. There will be shuttle services to Klerksdorp. On the morning of 13 September the two groups will be accompanied by the SCOPA from the North West Provincial Legislature that will also split into 2 groups. Group 1 will work in the area of Potchefstroom whereas Group 2 will work in the area of Mahikeng. On Friday 13 September, both groups will make their way back to OR Tambo. The two groups will converge at OR Tambo and some members will fly back on Friday, 14 September in the evening and others on Saturday morning. Members of the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) will also accompany the Committee. Security matters have been looked into through Office of the Chief Whip. Security includes traffic police and SAPS. After the oversight visit, the Committee will receive a draft report that will be considered and adopted by the Committee and then tabled in the NCOP House. The report will comprise the Committee’s assessment regarding the intervention.

Advocate Mongana Tau, Unit Manager, and Committee section confirmed that members of the media have been made aware and have been invited. He stated that Group 1 will be led by the Chairperson and on 13 September it will begin at the Klerksdorp Hospital. The delegation will have a short briefing by the management of the hospital, tour the facility, and check on the state of buildings, service delivery and other facilities of interest to Members. After lunch the group will depart to Kanana and Alabama Primary Schools to meet with national and provincial Department of Basic Education as well as the school governing body. Later on at around 4pm, the group will head to the community hall, for a session that will end at around 8pm. On day two, Group 1 will depart to the bridge repair site in Orkney. The group will later visit the Tshwaraganang project (disability project). Later in the evening, the group will have a debriefing with the administrators at OR Tambo.

Group 2 will be led by Mr J Nyambi (A; Mpumalanga). On day 1, group will visit the Byldeville site in Ditsobotla, Litchenberg (a project to do with sanitation). Later in the day, the delegation will visit two buildings: one building is a district office for social development which prompted the strike and another facility is a campus where administrators are accommodated. The security in that area was questionable and it will be important for members to visit the two places and to also confirm whether people going there are protected. Later in the evening, the delegation will have an engagement with the community at the community hall. On day 2, the group will go to Mahikeng Provincial hospital, which is one of the facilities where the strike was prompted. The group will be given time to engage with the hospital management and to tour the facility. After lunch the group will prepare to go back to OR Tambo. On Friday,14 September, in the evening there will be a briefing to both groups by the administrators.

Mr Sizath Makana, Controller, Protection Services, confirmed that he will engage with the legislature and the police and ask for security support in North West. He said he will deploy his staff according to threat analysis. He assured Members that everything will be fine.

The Chairperson wanted to know whether Mr Makana will be there during the oversight.

Mr Makana responded that he will have a meeting beforehand and request security from the hotel to the sites. He said that the police will also be deployed in the places where the public hearings will take place.

Mr Nyambi welcomed the preparations. He was fine as long as the Committee is assured that the security personnel will be available to do what is required of them. He proposed that since Hon Motara is abroad, if the Committee fails to get another person from Gauteng, then 1 person should move from group 1 to group 2 so that the numbers are balanced. He advised that someone speaking the native language of the area should chair the public hearings.

Mr O Terblanche (DA; Western Cape) wanted to know the security arrangements from the airport to the various destinations since it will be dark. He also asked how members will be getting to the airport and details of the people who will be flying back on 14 September, Friday night.

Mr Monakedi stated that he can only leave from Cape Town around 8pm on 12 September Wednesday evening. He will thus leave from OR Tambo the following morning to join the rest of the group. He also noted that he had been shifted from group 1 to group 2. He requested if it will be possible for group 2 to at least visit one road site as well as the buildings identified.

Ms L Dlamini (ANC; Mpumalanga) confirmed that she will be available for both days. She also asked to be shifted to group 2 because she is interested in Mahikeng Provincial hospital which has many problems.

The Chairperson noted the request. He added that Ms Wana will have to be in Mtata on Saturday morning and will have to travel back on 14 September, Friday evening.

Ms T Mokwele (EFF; North West) conveyed her apologies for not participating in the meetings. She asked whether the Committee is only concentrating on public works and health, or it will also include the municipalities since the municipalities fall under section 100 intervention.

The Chairperson responded that the Committee has only 2 days and this will include community engagements. What is in the programme is what is possible on the advice of the administrators and there will be a second round for engagements. He confirmed that Ms Wana will move to group 1 whereas Ms Dlamini will move to group 2 and that the Committee must look for someone from Gauteng.

Ms Mokwele commented that some of the members will be in their provinces so there will be no need for these members to come back to OR Tambo on Friday evening. She gave an example of herself and stated that she will not need to travel back.

The Chairperson requested that Ms Mokwele indicates this on the paper so that the Committee Secretary can take note.

Mr Nyambi requested the Chairperson to allow the person in North West who was joining via skype to clarify on the Programme. He said other logistics can be arranged outside the meeting and that Members not able to get to flights on 14 September can sleep at OR Tambo and depart the following morning.

Mr Jonathan Timm, who is in charge of the Programme and is based in the North West, contributed via skype. He said the Programme is in order. He proposed that since the security issue has been addressed and it is no longer the same as it was a month ago, group 2 should substitute the visit to the campus and instead visit a social development site in Mahikeng. He also stated that he needs to conduct further research to identify a road that group 2 will visit. On members wanting to engage with union leadership, he confirmed that group 1 will meet shop stewards at the hospital whereas group 2 will engage with administration leaders in Mahikeng.

The Chairperson asked whether Members were in agreement with the proposed changes in the Programme.

He confirmed that members were in agreement with the changes.

He asked that all the issues be clarified and that Members should have the final program on Tuesday morning. He also requested to meet with Mr Nyambi and Mr Mohai on Tuesday, 11 September 2018 after the plenary. He requested that the Programme be shared with the personal assistants of the members who were not present

Mr Nyambi requested that the security be informed of any changes in the Programme.

Outstanding Minutes
The Chairperson requested that members confirm the Minutes of 16 August 2018,

Mr Nyambi noted that the name of Ms Mokwele was wrongly spelt and that her apology did not reflect in the minutes. He moved that the minutes be confirmed subject to the corrections.

Mr Mohai seconded this and the minutes were approved.

The meeting was adjourned.