While the next house sitting for the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature is scheduled to take place this week, no permanent venue is available yet as the precinct is still under a direction notice that was issued by the Department of Labour on April 9.
The legislature was given a deadline until the end of the week to attend to areas of non-compliance relating to the occupational health and safety of the building including general safety, construction regulations, facilities regulations and electrical installation.
According to the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), no work has been done on the building yet.
The swearing in of the new Members of the Provincial Legislature was held at the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre on May 22.
Premier Zamani Saul delivered his inaugural address in Lerato Park last week, where generators had to be used for electricity and portable toilets were brought in for the dignitaries.
The spokesperson of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature, Carmen Gopane, said the second house sitting was scheduled to take place Tuesday at 10am; she did not indicate where it would be convened.
“The business of the house sitting is the election of chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of committees, the appointment of the leader of government business and the recognition of the leader of the opposition.”
She added that there would be no need to extend the June 9 deadline to comply with the direction notice from the Department of Labour.
“The institution has diligently and speedily dealt with the matters stipulated in the direction notice.
“We have also attended to the member’s safety, as the well-being of employees is of the utmost priority. Employees have returned to their work stations and it is business as usual. The 6th democratic legislature has commenced and it is all systems go for the next five years. The provincial legislature administrative wing is all geared up to remark and celebrate the 25-year anniversary of freedom in South Africa.”
Gopane stated that a certificate of compliance had been issued for both the members wing as well as the administration building. “The certificate for the assembly building was to be issued on Friday (May 31).”
She indicated that all payroll matters had been resolved.
Staff members set tyres alight outside the premises last month when their money for the May salary run was not processed due to a “system glitch”.