Eastern Cape egislature 'invades" Graaff-Reinet

The Bhisho Legislature will descend on Graaff-Reinet this week for the annual “Taking the Legislature to the People” although the good citizens of the historical town may well be asking themselves what they have done to deserve this invasion of politicians.

Still it’s a good boost for the local coffers.

The highlight of the week, although that is probably not the right word, is the tabling of the departments’ and parastatals’ annual reports on Tuesday. Thousands of trees will have been felled to provide the mountain of paper required to print the reports that will in all likelihood not be read even by the members of the Legislature.

Tabling the reports is, however, a requirement of the Public Finance Management Act.

Each MEC will introduce his department’s report after which there will be debate on a Committee on Local Government and Traditional Affairs report on a proposed approach to the consideration of Annual Reports of Municipalities.

That should be riveting and ensure a solid thirst is in place for the evening’s revelry.

The more intelligent have taken up residence in Nieu Bethesda for the week where the tranquillity will be decidedly welcome.

• Full report in The Herald tomorrow

Hurry up and wait ...

A 10am swearing in of new Eastern Cape Premier Mbulelo Sogoni is one thing that is not going to happen.

At 9.58 there was indication of when proceedings would start although outgoing Premier Nosimo Balindlela arrived a few moments ago and took up the seat she has occupied for the last four years - and the next few minutes.

Balindlela did not attend this morning’s ANC caucus and has announced her resignation as a member of the Legislature. She will, however, remain as a member of the Eastern Cape provincial executive committee of the ANC.

Thank goodness it's Thursday in Bhisho

It’s any early start on the final lap of the four-day Bhisho session. Kick-off is at 10am although there was wholesale confusion about the programme.

One MEC asked me yesterday how I knew the Friday session has been cancelled and he does not know. I couldn’t be honest there were people listening. For as long as I can remember Bhisho sessions are set down for the full five days and somewhere along the line Friday is cancelled and we start early Thursday.

It’s a regular charade.

Today we start with a debate on Public Works followed by Roads and Transport, Safety and Liaison, Social Development, Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, the Legislature and finally the passing of the provincial budget.

It’s set to last nine hours – so with a break for lunch that should take us to between 8 and 9 tonight. Bet we’re out of there by 6pm.

MPLs say no to hospital spin

Tragedy – one of the early birds, an extremely overweight official has just bumbled in to discover the biltong is finished – wolfing down a couple of chicken legs instead.

The Bhisho Health department after being battered over problems at the Free Hospital maternity section and death of more than 100 babies at Ukhahlamba plans to spend R1,5 million “to broadcast audio-visual highlights of its achievements as a measure to boost its public image and community system”.

MPLs are not happy about this.

They are concerned that this is not in the best interests of health care and have asked the department to present a report with 30 days to state what they hope to achieve “within the context of the delivery of health services”.

Social Development MEC Sam Kwelita is standing in for the “ill” Nomsa Jajula. He admits he won’t be able to answer all the questions so that gets one of the worst performing departments off the hook.

Kwelita has come up with an extraordinary statement. Responding to a question from Bobby Stevenson about the shooting on a patient on the operating table at Livingstone he said: “…we want to ensure that members have the correct information.“We do not have information that a patient was shot on the operating table.”

Grub's up at the Good News Centre

The countdown to day three of the Bhisho Legislature sitting is underway and the MPLs who arrive early have already scooted through the Good News Centre to the room at the back where coffee, tea and grub is available.

Arriving early, they have discovered, is the only way to ensure you can snaffle a healthy handful of the biltong.

Question Time is first on the agenda today with the DA wanting to know whether senior staff in Housing and Health received performance bonus.

Then its policy debates again, starting with Health and then moving on through Housing and Local Government and ending with Finance.

The end of floor-crossing?

Two things are on the agenda for the Bhisho Legislature this morning:

• Consideration of the view of the Eastern Cape Legislature on repealing the crossing-the-floor legislation at national, provincial and municipal level, and
• Consideration of a report from the Legislature’s Local Government and Traditional committee on the Consolidated Municipal Annual Performance 2005/06

All parties have agreed that crossing-the-floor legislation must go. In terms of Section 74 of the Constitution the Legislature must express its view on the proposed amendment to the Constitution.

The MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs must submit this consolidated report to the Legislature in terms of the Municipal Structures Act on an annual basis.

It is believed the report is anything but flattering and there could be some tough talk in the Good News Centre today.