The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) concluded its successful two-day induction programme of the 7th Parliament’s select committee chairpersons and whips, which began on Tuesday at the Cape Sun Hotel in Cape Town.
Also participating in the event were representatives of the South African Local Government Association, heads of Chapter 9 Institutions and former leaders of the NCOP, including the former NCOP Chairperson, Ms Thandi Modise, and the former NCOP Chief Whip, Mr Seiso Mohai.
One speaker during the programme was the former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, who spoke on the topic of building relationships between the whippery and the presiding officers to improve the coordination and management of daily parliamentary activities.
Another speaker was the Public Protector, Adv Kholeka Gcaleka, who spoke on the topic of building relationships between Parliament’s committees and chapter nine institutions to support Parliament’s mandate. She said: “We recommend more of this kind of engagement in the near future with all the three spheres of government as there is a lot to be shared in terms of what the legislative sector should do to assist the provincial and local governments to avoid the many gaps in how they deal with matters relating to the Office of the Public Protector.”
Also participating in the programme was the Office of the Auditor-General, represented by Ms Bongi Ngoma, who spoke about how the relationship between the Office of the Auditor-General and committees could be supported more fully to advance Parliament’s oversight mandate.
The select committee chairpersons and the whips thanked the current NCOP leadership, particularly Chairperson Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, Deputy Chairperson Mr Poobalan Govender and Chief Whip Mr Kenneth Mmoiemang for the induction programme saying that it was an “eye opening refresher course”.
They also praised informative presentations from the House Chairpersons for committees of both Houses of Parliament, Mr Richard Ryder (NCOP), Mr Cedric Frolick (National Assembly) and Mr China Dodovu, who is the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration.
In his closing remarks at the end of the induction programme, the Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, Mr Poobalan Govender, expressed his appreciation for the knowledge imparted by all the speakers and described the programme as a fruitful two days. “We note the importance of knowing the environment that we are working in … It all should be the reason enough to fully commit ourselves and be enthusiastic about the journey ahead, as we are now clear about the mandate of the NCOP and the work of Parliament in general.”
Manelisi Ntsodo
22 August 2024
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