The National Development Plan (NDP) and related instruments makes reference to the importance of energy so this Portfolio Committee is obliged to be creative from time to time. The Chairperson did indicate that the Portfolio Committee had a previous meeting on the downstream sector, but the need arose to address issues on the upstream sector as well. This meeting was thus an opportunity for further exposure and the comments and points made will be fed into the legacy report of this Committee to the Fifth Parliament. He further highlighted that part of Parliament's function is to initiate debate, and public participation is a vital component.