1. By Mkhethwa MKHIZE Unit Manager: Committee Support Services
Draft: Strategic Plan for the Select Committees on Economic Development for the 2011/12 financial year National Council of Provinces By
Mkhethwa MKHIZE
Unit Manager: Committee Support Services

2. Preamble
The National Council of Provinces was created to represent the provincial interest in the national Parliament.
This is important in order to:
ensure that provincial interest is considered in the national sphere of Government;
pass legislation;
process international agreements; and
scrutinise and oversee Executive’s actions.

3. Why? Vision of Parliament
To build an effective people’s Parliament that is responsive to the needs of the people within and that is driven by the ideal realising of a better life for all the people of South Africa.

4. How? Mission Statement of Parliament
To build an oversight process of scrutinising and overseeing government’s action, and that is driven by the ideal of realising a better life for all the people of South Africa.
To process legislation;
To international agreements; and
To facilitate public participation and involvement.

5. Value Statement
In order to achieve the vision and support the mission of Parliament, the Select Committee on Economic Development (the Committee) discharges its responsibilities professionally and with humility, and adhere to the highest standards of Parliamentary committees.

6. Value Statement continues…
The Committee subscribes to the following values:
Integrity;
Accountability;
Commitment;
Transparency;
Fairness;
Empowerment; and
Creativity.

7. Legislative Mandate
In order to ensure efficacy of service delivery, the Select Committee on Economic Development focuses on national and intergovernmental core issues, such as:
Economic development;
Energy;
Mining and Mineral Resources;
Creation of employment; and
Development of rural communities.
In doing the above, the Committee is guided, among others, by the Constitution, the Public Finance Management Act, the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act, Rules of Parliament, the State-of-the-Nation Address and other legislations.

8. Legislative Mandate continues…
The Committee, as an extension of the National Council of Provinces, regards active collaboration with, among others, the Departments of Economic Development, Energy and Mineral Resources, and their state-owned entities, as vital.
The Committee aims to maintain strong collaboration with other Parliamentary committees, afore-mentioned stakeholders and, provincial departments and municipalities.

9. Core Functions of the Committee
Considers and reports on legislation (section 75 and 76) that are referred to it;
Exercises oversight on government departments’, its entities’, and municipalities’ actions;
Considers and reports on international agreements; and
Facilitates public participation and involvement (section 72).

10. Key Priority Areas (KPAs) : Legislation
To process the amendments of legislations like the following:
The Competition Act;
Merger-related legislation;
The Diamonds Act;
The Precious Metals Act; etc.

11. Key Priority Areas (KPAs) : Legislation continues…
To further process the amendments of legislations like the following:
National Energy Regulator Act, 2004;
Electricity Regulation Act, 2006;
Petroleum products Act, 1997;
Gas Act, 2001; and
The Independent Systems Market Operations Bill (new legislation).

12. KPAs continue… : EDD
To monitor the establishment and the functioning of the merged Entities of Khula, Samaf and IDC small business operations.
To public hearings on the to-be Merged entity before it is fully established in March 2011 –focusing on efficiency and effectiveness of it. Its draft business plan.
To monitor the implementation of the New Growth Path.
To monitor the alignment of the PGDS and the New Growth Path.

13. KPAs continue… : EDD continues…
To monitor the establishment and functioning of the Economic Development Institute.
To conduct oversight to provinces that are assisted by EDD on training and skills development.

14. KPAs continue… : Samaf
To conduct oversight to rural areas that are financed by samaf through the stokvels model and focusing on job creation.

15. KPAs continue… : Councils
To analyse the funding models of the Councils for Mineral Technology and GeoScience and make recommendations to the Committees responsible for processing the 2011 Adjustments Appropriation Bill and 2012 Appropriation Bill as required by the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act.
To monitor the progress made by Mintek and CGS in effecting bursaries for tertiary education.

16. KPAs continue… : Mintek
To conduct oversight on 25 projects of Mintek that are based in rural areas.

17. KPAs continue… : Mining
To monitor the promotion of sustainable development in mining focusing on, amongst others, ownerless and derelict mines, acid mine drainage, and mine health and safety.

18. KPAs continue… : Dept. of Energy
To analyse the performance of the Dept. in terms of the folllowing national government outcomes:
Outcome 2;
Outcome 4;
Outcome 6;
Outcome 8; and
Outcome 10.

19. KPAs continue… : Dept. of Energy continues…
To conduct oversight on the connection of households through the grid and non-grid programmes.
To conduct oversight the building of the substations in provinces.
To conduct oversight on two Integrated Energy Centres (IeC) which would provide access energy services to the rural communities.

20. KPAs continue… : Dept. of Energy continues…
To conduct oversight on energy efficiency initiatives.
To conduct oversight on the Solar Heater projects in rural areas.

21. KPAs continue… : Dept. of Energy continues…
To monitor the development of the biofuels pricing framework.
To monitor the performance of the Dept. in terms of creating 5,000 jobs –focusing on jobs created for the youth.
To monitor the performance of the Dept. in terms on its energy efficiency initiatives.

22. KPAs continue… : Dept. of Energy continues…
To conduct public hearings on the Liquids Fuels Charter (LFC).
To conduct public hearings on the challenges of the Gas Act with regards to the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

23. KPAs continue… : Dept. of Energy continues…
To analyse the funding model of the Nuclear Energy Council of South Africa (Necsa) and make recommendations to Committees responsible for processing the 2011 Adjustments Appropriation Bill and 2012 Appropriation Bill as required by the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act.

24. KPAs continue… : other entities
To monitor the performance of state-owned entities reporting to the Departments of Economic Development, Energy and Mineral Resources.

25. KPAs continue… : Comprehensive strategy
To conduct a workshop on entities that specialise in technical companies to identify common strengths and challenges facing these entities.
Monitoring and evaluating progress on service provision, and collaboration and co-ordination with sector/provincial departments and municipalities.
Exercising oversight role on governments at various spheres of government, mainly provincial and local spheres.

26. KPAs continue… : Capacity Building
To conduct an international study tours on economic development and energy issues. Ideal country on energy issues is France (refer to Necsa’s presentation) and, on economic development, is China.

27. Plan of action for the 2011/12 financial year e.g.
Activity
Objective
Target date(s)
Hearings on performance of identified departments at the provincial level.
To monitor the performance by identified departments at provincial level, focusing on collaboration and co-ordination pertaining to the provision of services.
Quarterly (and when necessary).

28. Plan of action for the 2011/12 financial year…
Activity
Objective
Target date(s)
Oversight visits to different provinces. This to include follow-up visits on previous oversight visits.
To assess service delivery in provinces. Also to feed PCs on Economic Development, Energy and Mineral Resources responsible for the BRRR.
At least, every quarter.
To analyse (also, in collaboration with other committees within Parliament) the performance of identified departments through briefings in Parliament.
When necessary

29. Oversight Tool
The Committee intends to record oversight visits as follows:
Date
Purpose
Activity
Members
Place
Key findings
Planned action

30. Issue-Tracking Tool
The Committee intends to monitor implementation of its recommendations using the issue-tracking tool. This tool have the following attributes:
Identification of issue or matter to be tracked
Name of member/s responsible for tracking issue
Content -resolution taken on issue
Date of tabling and adoption
Date referral of the department
Envisaged date of response
Actual date of response
Action taken
Number of reports in which the resolution is contained

31. Thank you!