Postponed: Amathole District Municipality: state of municipalities

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Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

12 March 2021
Chairperson: Ms F Muthambi (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

Video: Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, 12 March 2021

The meeting was postponed was the MECs were not in attendance due to a possible miscommunication around the meeting invitation. The MECs were due to provide further responses to Members following a prior meeting.  

Meeting report

The Chairperson commenced the meeting by checking whether all the delegates were present. She followed up with apologies stating that Ms E Spies (DA) was on sick leave. The Minister was unable to attend and the Deputy Minister was attending an urgent meeting to respond to oral questions in Parliament. The Director- General was also in another meeting and the MEC had made prior arrangements. Previously, the Committee agreed the Committee Secretary would consult the two MECs to attend the meeting.

The Secretary responded that the office of the MEC sent a message stating that the MEC would not be available for the meeting.

The Chairperson asked when the message was sent because the MEC was meant to respond to questions. She also asked why the Secretary did not advise the Committee postpone the meeting.

The Secretary said she got the message on Wednesday.

The Chairperson said that she knew that the resolution of the prior meeting was to arrange with the two offices but the MEC’s absence was not brought to her attention. She asked what the way forward should be. Setting up another date would not be fair. In the prior meeting, the MEC wanted to respond but that could not happen and this was the opportunity to do so.

Ms Bulelwa Nqadolo, Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury, said she located the HOD. The HOD secretariat said that invitation was only received on the day of the meeting.

Mr G Mpumza (ANC) said that in view of the fact that both MECs were not available, the meeting should be postponed - it was meant to be a continuation of the previous meeting to finalise the debate of the oversight function within the district municipality. The MEC ought to be in the meeting because he needed to respond to outstanding matters from the prior meeting.  The Committee is eager for the MEC’s response to matters raised by Amathole District. On the other hand, the Committee could proceed with the other municipalities and deal with this one later.

The Chairperson said that the district would be called again to respond to the water issue in O.R Tambo and by then the attendance of the MEC will have been secured.

Mr C Brink (DA) supported Mr Mpumza’s suggestion with the amendment that the MEC be invited to respond in writing to outstanding issues because the term is coming to an end. Time needs to be managed properly because there are conflicting priorities between Committees. Members should get the benefit of written responses from the MEC. If the Committee could apply its mind to that and if it wants to interrogate those responses, then there could be a subsequent interaction with the MEC.

Ms H Mkhaliphi (EFF) supported the postponement if the MECs are not available. It must be very clear that the Committee is professional. She thought invitations were issued timeously so it cannot be that delegates are made aware of the meeting on the day of the meeting. When the Committee invites delegates, it expects quality responses. One must be mindful that officials have other obligations so invitations must be sent timeously.  To do justice, the proposal is to look for another day and invitations should be sent timeously. The Committee does not mind sitting until the early hours of the morning because municipalities must be accountable. If the current meeting goes ahead, there will not be proper responses and Members will not be able to chart a way forward as an oversight Committee.

Mr K Ceza (EFF) said there would be no value to the meeting if the MECs are not there. Moreover, when it comes to the issues, the district has gone on record accepting that it does not have money for infrastructure and given the deplorable situation on the ground, the effect and interaction is desirable regarding follow up questions so a further date should be set.

The Chairperson apologised on behalf on the Committee. There was an agreement in the previous meeting and the MEC wanted to be given another opportunity. A date will be set as this is a continuation of a previous meeting and it would be unfair to deprive him of the opportunity to respond. The Committee has been knocking off at 1am in the morning so the Committee Secretary is not blame as she is usually diligent. She may have been overwhelmed such that she missed this. The Committee will reconvene as a matter of urgency and will work during the constituency period so several days will be given to the MEC depending on his availability and everyone will be invited timeously.

Meeting adjourned.

 

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