14 October 2020
Embargo: For Immediate Release
Attention: News/Assignment Editors, Political Reporters, Reporters
From: KZN Legislature Communications Unit
RE: KZN LEGISLATURE ESTABLISHES TWO SPECIAL AD HOC COMMITTEES

KwaZulu-Natal Legislature has established two special ad hoc committees which will deal with issues relating to investigations of corruption and the other one will deal with land claims and related matters.
This week both committees sat, separately, for the first time to go through the terms of reference and elect chairpersons of the two committees.
Ad hoc committee on investigations, which is led by Hon Maggie Govender, will focus on, amongst other things, investigations that were conducted but for which there was no outcome such as implementation of recommendations or even submission of reports.
“The lack of swift intervention and appropriate action taken against offenders identified in investigations, often also results in irrecoverable financial losses by government.

“Lack of implementation of recommendations of investigative reports often also
culminates in a failure to address inadequate systems of control and the failure to
implement adequate risk management strategies,” said Hon Govender, who is also
chairperson of SCOPA in the Provincial Legislature.

The other committee is led by Hon Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha, who also chairs Agriculture and Rural Development Portfolio Committee and its task include working with other stakeholders in investigating bottlenecks in issues relating to land claims in the province.
It is hoped that, in the interest of transparency and rooting out corruption, all stakeholders will co-operate with the committees. Members of the public who may be in possession of information that could be of assistance to the committees are also encouraged to contact the two committees.

Ends

Issued by KZN Legislature Communications Unit

28 September 2020

Embargo: For Immediate Release

Attention: News/Assignment Editors, Political Reporters, Reporters

From: KZN Legislature Communications Unit

RE: KZN LEGISLATURE HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE VISITS TRANSIT CAMPS

KwaZulu-Natal Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements will tomorrow conduct a two-part oversight exercise focusing on the state of transit camps for informal settlements (Olindela) in Ethekwini Metro.

The two-part oversight exercise will begin with a meeting where the committee will receive reports on the state of the following transit camps:

1.Quarry Heights Transit Camp

2.White City Transit Camp

3.KwaMshayazafe

4.Tongaat- Greylands

5.Outstanding Projects in Ward 59

The second phase will be the visits by Members of the Portfolio Committee and other stakeholders to the abovementioned transit camps. Details of the briefing meeting are as follows:

Date: 29 September 2020

Time: 09am

Venue: Mkhanyakude Boardroom (Archie Gumede Conference Centre) Public Works Offices in Mayville

Members of the media are invited to attend and report accordingly. For more information please contact Wonder Hlongwa at 0829083532.

11 August 2020

Embargo: For Immediate Release

Attention: News/Assignment Editors, Political Reporters, Reporters

From: KZN Legislature Communications Unit

RE: AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE REFUTES DA STATEMENT MISREPRESENTING COMMITTEE DELIBERATIONS

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development Honourable Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha has learnt with shock and dismay about the sensational statement issued by the Democratic Alliance’s committee member Honourable Chris Pappas.

Committee members were shocked that Hon Pappas had released a statement even before the committee could take resolutions on the matter.

Earlier today Agriculture and Rural Development Portfolio Committee held a joint meeting with Community Safety Portfolio Committee to receive a report from the South African Police Services’ Rural Safety Strategy.

Department of Community Safety was led by MEC Bheki Ntuli accompanied by SAPS’ General Jula and Brigadier Kheswa. Both the department and SAPS explained in detail challenges facing rural communities including farm labour tenants and both black and white farmers.

The meeting was convened by Honourable Sibhidla-Saphetha in her capacity as the Chairperson of Agriculture and Rural Development and Honourable Mthethwa who is the Chairperson of Community Safety Portfolio Committee. Mthethwa was unable to attend because of other commitments but Members of the Community Safety Portfolio Committee were in attendance.

The Committee has resolved to institute an investigation into the conduct of Honourable Pappas for violating the Legislature’s standing Rules.

Rule 153 clearly states that only the Chairperson of a committee may make media statement and broadcast or internet and other electronic publications on behalf of a committee.

The Rule further adds that Media Statements, broadcasts, internet or other electronic publications, whether made by the Chairperson pursuant to sub-rule(1) or by individual Members may not:

i) Misrepresent any proceedings or reports of a committee or any documents, evidence, submissions or information before a committee or the views of other Members; or

ii) Purport to represent the views or a report of a committee where it does not.

Committee Members were shocked at Pappas’ misrepresentations of the committee deliberations including his assertion that “the DA is pleased to have the support of the SAPS in its campaign to declare farm murders a hate crime”.

The committee has resolved to investigate the contents of Pappas’ statement and take appropriate action. Once the committee has taken resolutions on this matter it will make these available to the public.

Ends

Issued by the Chairperson of the KZN Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development Hon NN Sibhidla-Saphetha Cell No: 0833013622 or Mr Wonder Hlongwa at 0829083532.

KZN Legislature takes a lead in the digitalisation of its operations to meet the 4th IR challenges

The Legislature has introduced a Mobile Application (App) to digitalise our operations in line with our 2019 – 2024 Strategic Plan to transform the entire institution into a paperless environment. All Members of the Legislature have been provided with new mobile devices such as tablets where the App has been installed to enable the Members and staff to have easy access to the Legislature information wherever they are all the time.

Some important information that is available on the App include the annual calendar of Legislature activities, weekly schedule of committee meetings and sittings, documents for committee meetings and House Sittings, Strategic Plans (SP) and Annual Performance Plans (APPs) of the Legislature and provincial departments, Policy speeches, Budget speeches, SONA and SOPA, National Parliament and National Government information, Bills and Acts to mention but a few.
Training on the use of the mobile application will be conducted throughout the institution to enable the Members and staff to be conversant with the App to ensure that our institution becomes a completely digital environment.

The introduction of the mobile application aims to ensure that the KZN Legislature is able to keep up with the challenges posed by the 4th Industrial Revolution and that we use technology to work smarter and improve our productivity and efficiencies.