Committee reports

Finance, Economic Opportunities and Tourism (WCPP)

03 February 2021
Chairperson: Ms D Baartman (DA)
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Meeting Summary

Video: Standing Committee on Finance, Econ Opportunities and Tourism, 3 February 2021, 09:00

In a virtual meeting, the Committee adopted its report on the 2019/20 Annual Report of the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. It then adopted its report on the 2019/20 Annual Report of the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Wesgro and Saldanha Bay IDC.

The Committee adopted its report on its oversight visit to Ankerlig Power Station.

Members requested an update on the investigation into the Wesgro board – this was expected before the end of February 2021.

The Committee resolved to invite the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to explain the distribution of COVID-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) funding. There were concerns about reports of corruption and businesses not receiving the relief funds yet. Members of the public would also be invited to hear their experiences.

The Committee resolved to invite Wesgro to provide the Committee with a briefing on the statistics of seasonal tourists the province had received.  The Committee wanted to her how the tourism sector planned to bounce back from COVID19.

The Committee resolved to participate in the online Africa Energy Indaba Project taking place 1 – 5 March 2021. The Committee was notified that there were enough funds for this. Members thought it would enhance the work of the Committee.

Meeting report

The Chairperson outlined the meeting agenda which was to adopt the Draft Committee Report on the 2019/20 Annual Reports of the Western Cape Provincial Treasury and the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, Draft Committee Report on the 2019/20 Annual Reports of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Wesgro and Saldanha Bay IDC and Draft Committee Report on the Oversight Visit to Ankerlig Power Station.

The Committee adopted its report on the 2019/20 Annual Report of the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. It then adopted its report on the 2019/20 Annual Report of the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Wesgro and Saldanha Bay IDC.

The Committee adopted its report on its oversight visit to Ankerlig Power Station.

Ms N Nkondlo (ANC) needed clarity on the documents that the Committee had received on Kannaland Municipality and the one that the Committee was requesting. She asked if those documents were the same documents.

The Chairperson explained that the initial documents which the Committee had received were about the general business plan - what the Committee was requesting now related to the council meeting that had taken place in December 2020. Those are two different sets of documents. 

Committee Resolutions

Ms Nkondlo proposed two Committee resolutions. Firstly, she proposed that the resolution needed to include an update of the Department’s investigation into Wesgro. The Committee needed an update on the issue as well as to understand whether the investigation process had been concluded.

The Chairperson clarified that it was indeed included in the report that had been adopted just now. The Department was given a period of two weeks, until the 24 February 2021, to report back to the Committee.

The Chairperson proposed three resolutions to the Committee:

The first resolution was for the Committee to invite the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to explain the distribution of COVID-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) funding. The issue was concerning as Members might have been aware that news was going around in the media that there was massive scale of corruption as well as businesses having not been paid yet by TERS fund.

Mr A Van der Westhuizen (DA) expressed his full support on this important issue. He said that since the involved amount for TERS fund is so big, the Committee needed to know and track whether or not the fund had been used for its designated purposes.

Ms Nkondlo also fully supported proposal. She added that the Committee should also invite industries to come to the Committee as well. It would be interesting to hear both sides of the stories from business and labour as there were anecdotes going around that workers are complaining about their bosses withholding their money.

The Chairperson pointed out that inviting respective labour and industry might be a bit too much for the Committee. She suggested that it might help to just include labour and industries in an email list. She suggesting inviting members of public to offer their inputs and experience in dealing with TERS funding as well.

Mr D Mitchell (DA) proposed a viable solution. He said that the Committee could firstly get a briefing from the UIF on the issue and thereafter engage the public in a public hearing if the parliamentary programme allowed this process.

The Chairperson remarked that Mr Mitchell’s plan sounded like Ms Nkondlo’s proposal. She sought Ms Nkondlo’s opinion on Mr Mitchell’s suggestion

Ms Nkondlo said that it was an excellent idea and she fully supported it.

Mr Van der Westhuizen was uncertain about inviting the public – he suggested the public be invited to provide written comment. He expressed his concern about inviting individuals or individual companies to come to the Committee.

The Chairperson suggested that the Public Outreach Office could invite the public in a similar manner as was done with the Ad Hoc Committee on COVID19.

The resolution was agreed to by all Members.

The Chairperson proposed the second resolution. Given that tourism is the number one sector in the province as well as the provincial Department’s employment recovery plan, she suggested the Committee invite Wesgro to provide the Committee with a briefing on the statistics of seasonal tourists the province had received.

Ms Nkondlo fully supported the plan. She recognised the importance of tourism to GDP growth. She understood that the Department of Tourism had already had a number of engagements with stakeholders in the rural tourism industry. She was interested to know the Department’s planning on the bouncing back of the tourism sector from COVID-19. She also considered whether other major sectors in the province could also provide the Committee with briefings.

Mr Van der Westhuizen and Mr Mitchell both supported the view.

The Chairperson proposed the third resolution on the Africa Energy Indaba Project. Normally, the participation of in person was more expensive, about R20 000 per person. Since it is under the COVID-19 pandemic, the event would be held online from 1 - 5 March with the cost significantly dropped to just over R5 000 per person. The Chairperson had informally enquired about the processes for approval. As there is available funding for Members to participate in the project, she wanted to know if Members would be interested in taking part in the project.

Mr Mitchell supported the proposal and said that the Energy Indaba Initiative could also help enhance the work which the Committee would do going forward. He fully supported it.

Mr Van Der Westhuizen proposed that the Procedural Officer contacted Members after the meeting, so that Members may check their diaries to make sure abour their availability.

Ms Nkondlo fully supported the proposal and agreed with the addition added by Mr Van der Westhuizen.

Meeting was adjourned.

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