Today’s joint sitting of the National Assembly (NA) and National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to debate National Women’s Day under the theme “mainstreaming gender equality in all sectors of South African society”, kicks off a busy quarter.
Following today’s debate on National Women’s Day, Parliament will, at the end of August, host a Women’s Parliament. The planned Women’s Parliament will debate the Traditional Courts Bill (currently before the NCOP), the involvement of women in the mainstream economy and progress on draft legislation being developed on gender equality.
On 15 August, another joint sitting will be held for the handing over to President Jacob Zuma of the National Development Plan and on 16 August, the NA will debate the youth wage subsidy.
At the end of August, Parliament will take part in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) election observer mission to Angola.
A number of planned debates will focus on international fora with which Parliament is involved.
On 14 August the NA will debate a topic related to the Pan African Parliament (PAP). Parliament has five permanent members in the PAP – NCOP Chairperson Mr Mninwa Mahlangu (leader of the multiparty delegation), Mr Jerry Thibedi, Ms Faith Muthambi, Ms Sandy Kalyan and Ms Nosimo Balindlela.
On 21 August, the NA will debate a topic on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), of which Parliament is a member. The 58th conference of the CPA takes place in September in Sri Lanka.
On 28 August, there will be debate on a topic related to the African-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) and European Union. The ACP Parliamentary Assembly and intersessional meetings take place in Brussels in September and members drawn from Parliament’s ACP-EU Focus Group will attend.
Also on 28 August, the NCOP plans to debate its “15 years of the National Council of Provinces and what it has meant for South Africans”.
On 11 September the NA will debate a topic on the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the next day both Houses will debate Heritage Day in a joint sitting.
Also in September, is the 26th session of the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organisation, which Parliament will attend.
