Gaye Davis
SERIOUS concerns about Peter Mokaba, under fire for failing to commit enough time and energy to a crucial parliamentary committee he chairs on environment affairs and tourism, were aired this week at a meeting attended by ANC chief whip the Reverend Arnold Stofile.
Mounting frustration among committee members over Mokaba’s repeated absence from meetings peaked last week when he failed to arrive for a crucial session in which the committee was due to consider South Africa’s ratification of an international convention geared to protect unique ecosystems.
Sources said Stofile asked to meet with the committee. Mokaba was also present at Tuesday’s meeting and told members he had been writing exams for a business management course when he missed last week’s meeting.
“It was not a court or a disciplinary hearing. We took a good hard look at why we are failing to do what we are supposed to do. We’ve ironed out some problems, and he (Mokaba) is more aware of our concerns,” a committee member said.
The meeting also considered how the ANC’s study group on environment affairs and tourism would function. It was recently decided to merge the Senate and National Assembly study groups on environment affairs and tourism to ease the problems experienced.