HOME AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
10 October 2000
BRIEFING BY HOME AFFAIRS DIRECTOR GENERAL
Chairperson : Mr A Mokoena
SUMMARY
The briefing by the Director-General Mr B L Masetlha did not
take place since the Director-General and the chairpersons of
other committees on Labour, Trade & Industry and Foreign
Affairs (excluding Labour) sent apologies and were not in
attendance. The Chair stated emphatically that he would not
tolerate ministerial interference in the oversight function of
the Committee.
GENERAL
Request for a written explanation for the Director General’s
absence from previous committee meeting
The Chair indicated that the Director-General had in fact
sent a written apology to the committee, prior to the meeting of
4 October excusing himself from that meeting.
The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr M Buthelezi, had now forwarded a
letter of complaint to the Committee in this regard (that the
Committee had in fact received a written apology before the
meeting on 4 October but that this had been mislaid,
in the absence of which the Chair had requested a written
response from the Director-General).
The Chair highlighted that the purpose of the Committee was to
exercise oversight and that no ministerial interference would be
tolerated – since there was some indication in the letter of
apology by the Director-General that the Minister had prevented
the Director-General from attending the meeting. The Chair
stressed that the Director-General must himself attend, although
he may ask that the Deputy Director-General make the presentation
and respond to questions.
The Chair asked the members to express their views on this issue
but there was no response. The meeting was adjourned and the
Committee will reconvene on Wednesday 11 October at 18h30.