Here’s which parliamentary committee the electricity minister will report to

The National Assembly has approved the establishment of an ad hoc parliamentary committee under the portfolio committee on public enterprises to oversee Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa on electricity matters.

This comes after the rules committee last week made recommendations, where ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina suggested the minister reports to an existing oversight committee. 

According to SABC News, ANC deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude said it would be unnecessary to have a separate committee to oversee the electricity department.

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“The rules committee has agreed the ministry of electricity should fall within the remits of the portfolio of public enterprises. This is because the committee already possesses considerable expertise and experience in the sector. Parliamentary scrutiny can certainly contribute to end load shedding,” said Dlakude.

The move was met with objections from the EFF, DA and FF Plus, who all said the committee already had other state-owned entities.

IFP MP Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the establishment of the electricity ministry should not have been established in the first place.

Confusion in the National Assembly

ANC MP Hope Papo last week proposed Eskom reports to the portfolio committee on public enterprises. 

“I think Eskom (should) report to public enterprises, not to mineral resources and energy,” he said. 

Papo recommended Ramokgopa report to the portfolio committees on minerals and energy if it is for other meetings. 

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“There is this confusion, even in the NA (National Assembly), about this. That is why I am proposing that, as an extra responsibility, the minister engages with public enterprises,” he said.

Papo said it would not be the first time that one committee deals with more than one ministry. 

Majodina said it made “perfect sense” for Ramokgopa to report to public enterprises to bring in synergy.

“This is about electricity and it also impacts Eskom. So I’ll second, let’s take it to public enterprises and that means the mandate of public enterprise will be extended to include the ministry of electricity,” she said. 

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