Coming Up This Week – Eleven Budget Vote Debates (including that of Presidency), Policy Debates on Six Budget Votes and 24 Committee Meetings
The National Assembly (NA) is scheduled to debate 11 Budget Votes this week, among them is Budget Vote 1 of the Presidency.
The Debate on the Presidency Budget Vote will be held in the NA Chamber on Wednesday and President Jacob Zuma’s reply will follow on Thursday. Both start at 2pm.
The other 10 Budget Votes scheduled for debate by the NA Extended Public Committees are:
- Tuesday - Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; International Relations and Cooperation; Tourism; Correctional Services; Environmental Affairs; Human Settlements
- Wednesday - National Treasury; Social Development
- Friday – Communications; Sport and Recreation
Plenary sittings of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) are scheduled to consider the Revenue Laws Amendment Bill and the Division of Revenue Bill, to hold policy debates on six Budget Votes and to debate the outcomes of Taking Parliament to the People report-back session in the Eden District Municipality. The report-back session was held in April.
In addition to the House plenaries, there are 24 scheduled meetings of Committees. Many of these are scheduled to deal with budgets, expenditure reports and department plans. Others are scheduled to deal with legislation, petitions and briefings on specific subjects.
On Wednesday, the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation will be briefed by the Department of Water and Sanitation, and Water Boards will brief the Committee on the 2016/2017 water tariffs. Also scheduled for Wednesday is a briefing to the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises by Denel on recent developments at the company.
On Tuesday, the Select Committee on Appropriations is scheduled to consider final mandates on the Division of Revenue Bill and its draft report on the bill and the Standing Committee on Finance is scheduled to hold public hearings and to deliberate on the Financial Sector Regulation Bill.
On Friday, the National Treasury is scheduled to brief the Standing Committee on Appropriations on the 2016 Appropriation Bill.
Other bills scheduled for consideration are:
Tuesday
- Performing Animals Protection Amendment Bill – Select Committee on Land and Mineral Resources continues deliberations and possibly finalises and adopts the Bill.
- Expropriation Bill – Select Committee on Economic and Business Development deliberates negotiating mandates on the Bill.
Wednesday
- Mineral Resources Development Amendment Bill – Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources considers submission on the bill from the National House of Traditional Leaders and the Department of Mineral Resource’s responses to the submission;
- Higher Education Amendment Bill – Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training considers the Bill;
- Labour Laws Amendment Bill – Portfolio Committee on Labour receives a briefing on the Bill from the Parliamentary Legal Adviser.
On Tuesday, the Joint Committee on Ethics meets in a closed session to adopt minutes and to consider complaints.
On Wednesday, the Select Committee on Trade and International Relations considers the Protocol Amending the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation.
Also on Wednesday, the Select Committee on Petitions and Executive Undertakings is scheduled to consider and adopt reports on the following petitions:
- Alleged failure of the Transkei Transport Road Corporation to pay pension monies and severance packages to former employees subsequent to its liquidation;
- Alleged ill-treatment of Ms Nobuntu Fuzana’s daughter while admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital and Khayelitsha District Hospital;
- Request for intervention of the NCOP in the upgrades of roads and construction of bridges in certain parts of the Eastern Cape.
The NA Subcommittee on Review of the Assembly Rules is scheduled to meet on Friday to consider guidelines and decisions required by the draft rules and its report to the NA Rules Committee.
