Committee Reports

Meeting report

In the Chairperson’s opening remarks, he said that all outstanding reports would be considered for adoption at the meeting. The two Private Security Industry Regulator Authority (PSIRA) reports would also be considered on a page by page basis. One of the PSIRA reports had been previously considered and amended but the Committee would go through the 2014/15 report one more time before considering the new PSIRA report.

Although the Committee had planned to deal with the petitions at the next meeting to be held on Tuesday 6 December 2016, but a notice of a joint sitting to be held on that same date was just communicated to the Committee before the meeting. Members of the Committee would need to decide whether to go on with the petitions or postpone it till next year.

Over the past weekend, various reports were submitted with respect to the Police and Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) as a Ministry. In the Chairperson’s view, it was only appropriate for the Portfolio’s work to be scrutinized. It was for this reason that the Committee had agreed to invite the Minister to appear on Wednesday, 7 December 2016 to brief the Committee on issues in the public domain: issues around the acting National Commissioner’s Mr Kgomotso Phahlane that was in the news; issues with the relationship with the Executive Director of IPID; as well as the issue of contracts involving the secretariat of Police. It was important for the Committee to get briefings on each of the issues and ensure that things were attended to and there was proper control. These issues would be dealt with on Wednesday as well.

The Chairperson announced that the application for the study tour was still ongoing

Application for the study to work was still ongoing. A few issues that were still outstanding before submission would be made. The focus for the three countries (United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, and France) was scheduled to the last week of January till the first week February but it was hoped that quotations would be received in the current week to assist with finalization and submission to the House Chair. If the mission became impossible to get, the Committee might have to revert to the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) option for week, and deal with other oversight functions at Parliament in another week. The meeting scheduled for Tuesday might be cancelled if the Mission could not sit during the joint sitting.

Mr Z Mbhele (DA) asked if the Minister had confirmed attendance at the aforesaid Wednesday meeting.

The Chairperson said a letter was sent to the Minister’s office the previous day. Members of the Committee would be informed as soon as confirmation was received.

The Chairperson proposed that the first PSIRA report should be considered since the Committee was yet to form a quorum needed for adopting reports.

Consideration of the first PSIRA Report: Draft report of the Portfolio Committee on Police on the private security industry regulatory authority 2014/15 annual report on budget

The Chairperson took Members through the report on a page by page basis.

Mr Mbhele referred to line 4 of the third paragraph and bullet point 3.2 on page 4 and reference to a figure being originally reported as something else. He asked to be reminded what the differences in those figures meant as he couldn’t recollect what the original report referred to.

Ms Zuraynah van der Meulen, Secretary to the Chairperson replied that the original report was the financial statement that was misdated in the previous financial year and was corrected.

Ms Molebatsi referred to bullet point 3.7 on page 5 and said that the annual report should be capitalised.

Mr Mbhele referred to the top line of number 6 on page 7, and suggested that “was” should be changed to “were”.

The Chairperson said that a full stop should be added to the point on the last bullet of page 10. He also said the gap on the last sentence at the bottom of the page should be closed.

Ms M Molebatsi (ANC) referred to bullet point 6.8 that said “the Committee expressed satisfaction with the training programmes that employees are receiving from the authority”. She asked if training was being received from the authority.

Mr Emam said that the secretariat would need to confirm the point made. He only knew that training was provided in collaboration with the South African Safety Security Training Authority (SASSTA).

Mr M Ramatlakane (ANC) referred to the first bullet point on page 12, noting that “Auditor General” appeared twice.

The Chairperson said that the report and new amendments made would be adopted once a quorum was formed.

Mr A Shaik Emam (NFP) arrived at the meeting just in time and a quorum was formed. The Chairperson then suggested that the just considered report and other outstanding reports should be adopted.

Mr Ramatlakane moved for the adoption of the report and was seconded by Mr Mbhele.

Consideration of the second PSIRA report dated 13 November 2016: Draft report on the 2015/16 annual report

The report was also considered on a page by page basis.

The Chairperson referred to a sentence on the fourth paragraph of page 4 that began with “R1,7 million” and asked if it was correct to start a sentence with R1,7 million.

Ms Meulen replied that the sentence did not start with the figure.

Ms Molebatsi asked for clarification on the figure on the last column on page 6.

Ms Meulen said that the figure was a footnote. It would be removed from the report.

Ms Molebatsi referred to the last sentence on page 7 and mentioned that the word “of” should be deleted and replaced by “by”

Ms Molebatsi also referred to the first sentence on the last paragraph of page 9 and asked if it was necessary to include “of which” in the middle of the sentence.

The Chairperson responded that the secretary would make the correction as noted.

A Member proposed that the second sentence on the first paragraph of page 10 should be removed.

The Chairperson agreed with the proposal as the sentence constituted a recommendation in the middle of the report.

Still on page 11, Ms Molebasti referred to the paragraph that began with “the research and development division entered into partnership with the University of South Africa in terms of the upliftment of stay of  PSIRA employees…” She asked if a full stop can be inserted immediately after “employees” before the continuation of a new sentence starting with “The University of Witwatersrand is presenting…”

Mr Emam referred to the points under ‘consequence management’ on page 11 and suggested that the sentence should read ‘actions against the employees’ instead of ‘action to the employees’.

The Chairperson agreed with the suggestion.

Mr Emam mentioned that on page 11, the word should be “crowd” instead of “crown”.

Ms Molebatsi referred to the sentence that talked of the guards being put at greater danger of injury. She said that it was not only the guards that were at danger. The protesters were also at risk.

The Chairperson said that the word ‘competencies’ in the sentence “the Committee wanted to know what happens in the event where a guard first obtains a competencies certificate” should be replaced with ‘competency’.

Mr Emam proposed the correction of a sentence on paragraph to read thus “the authority indicated that many security guards employed on university campuses do not have adequate training.

Ms Molebatsi referred to point on uniforms resembling that of South African Police Services (SAPS), noting that the Committee also discussed about emblems and insignias.

Ms Meulen replied that the uniforms, badges, insignias and vehicles would be included.

Mr Emam referred to the points raised under criminal cases, and suggested that the sentence “the Committee required an explanation for the figure of spending criminal charges” should be rephrased to say “the Committee required explanation on spending criminal charges”.

Ms Meulen said that the sentence would be rephrased to indicate the ‘high number of spending’.

Ms Molebatsi referred to the second line under ‘compliance inspections. She asked if the word ‘for’ in the sentence that read “compliance inspections and whether it follows…” should be present in the sentence.

Ms Meulen agreed that the sentence should say whether it allowed for random compliance.

Ms Molebatsi said that the word ‘for’ should not be there.

Mr M Mncwango (IFP) said the sentence should read thus: “…whether it allows for” rather than “whether it follows”.

On page 14, the Chairperson referred to the third last sentence under risk management and injury on duty that read thus: “if the security guard is employed, he should be covered immediately for the provision to cover for risk purposes”.

Ms Meulen said that the sentence would be rephrased.

Mr Mncwango (I think) proposed that the sentence should be reworded to read thus: “If the security guard is employed, they should be covered immediately for risk purposes”.

Ms Molebatsi referred to the fourth line of the third paragraph on page 15 that spoke about the challenges currently being faced. She said that the word should be ‘faces’ not ‘face’.

Mr Ramatlakane moved for the adoption of the report with amendments. He was seconded by Mr Emam.

The report was adopted with amendments.

The Chairperson said that the Secretariat must ensure that the two adopted reports were published in the ATC immediately.

Consideration and adoption of outstanding minutes

The Chairperson took Members through each set of minutes on a page by page basis.

Draft Minutes of 31 August 2016

The minutes were adopted with amendments

The minutes of 02, 06, 07, 20, 21 and 22 of September were adopted with amendments.

The minutes of 11, 13, 14, 18, 21, and 25 and 26 October were adopted with amendments. The minutes of 12 October were adopted without amendments. 

The minutes of 09, 16, and 23 November were adopted with amendments. 

Matters arising

In responding to the issue raised by Ms Mabija on the holding of a meeting before 9 November 2016, the Chairperson noted that a meeting held on 2 November 2016. The said meeting dealt with the office of the DPC and Judge and the SAPS resource division.

Mr Mbengo would liaise with other Committee secretaries to get the minutes of that report so that it could be adopted before the end of the year.

The Chairperson reiterated the programme of the Committee already mentioned in the opening remarks, for the benefit of Members who arrived at the meeting late. The Chairperson also noted that Mr Mbhele raised the issue of the judgments. The judgments have been distributed and responses have been received from SAPS and IPID.

Mr Mbhele said he had gone through the responses. He was well informed of any response that would come up during the votes scheduled for next week Tuesday.

The Chairperson said there were no major issues. The responses were adequate for further engagements with the BRRR.

Members would be informed beforehand if the meeting scheduled for next Tuesday would hold.

The final set of minutes would be considered next Wednesday.

The meeting was adjourned.