Coming up this week: Questions to the Deputy President, debates on issues of public importance, policy debates on budget votes, legislation, appointments to statutory bodies and over 20 Committee meetings
A busy week of House plenary sittings and committee meetings lies ahead as Members prepare to go on a constituency period which starts on 30 May and ends on 15 August.
Tomorrow, the National Assembly (NA) will consider a motion of condolences for Ms Dene Smuts, former Democratic Alliance Member of Parliament. Also to be considered are Members’ statements, a statement from the Minister of Arts and Culture on racism, consideration of the Higher Education Amendment Bill and debate on a topic proposed by the African Christian Democratic Party, “Restoring the image of the NA in light of recent developments”, also feature in the sitting which starts at 14:00.
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) at its afternoon sitting tomorrow will consider motions, a report of the Select Committee on Finance on the follow up on Taking Parliament to the People at Oudtshoorn, legislation and policy debates on the Department of Labour Budget Vote and the Department of Home Affairs Budget Vote.
On Wednesday, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will answer questions for oral reply from Members of the NA. Ministers of the Peace and Security Cluster will also answer questions and the sitting will consider a report from the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements about a request for approval of draft regulations on levies and fees for the Community Schemes Ombud Service. A debate on Africa Day will round off the sitting.
On Thursday, the NA will hold another debate – on “Building collective action for inclusive growth”. The plenary sitting will also consider the:
- Children’s Amendment Bill and the Children’s Second Amendment Bill;
- Report from the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry on the Remote Gambling Bill;
- Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Request for Recommendations of Candidates for Appointment to the Board of the National Youth Development Agency;
- Report from the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services on Recommendations for Appointment of Persons to the Human Rights Commission
- First report of the NA Rules Committee. The committee is scheduled to meet tomorrow
Committee meetings scheduled for the week will cover a wide range of issues:
Briefings on specific subjects
Tuesday
- Department of Trade and Industry briefing on eighth edition of the Industrial Policy Action Plan - Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry
- Sport and Recreation SA briefing: African Union Sports Council report, developments, programmes; report submitted to United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organisation on progress with implementation of International Charter of Physical Education and Sport; Eminent Persons Group (EPG) 2016 transformation report and report of EPG on sport transformation monitoring and evaluation for 2015; transformation time lines agreed with federations; outcomes for EPG as directorate or office and EPG monitoring and evaluation plan – Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation
- Update on situation in Vuwani, Limpopo, by Department of Basic Education – Portfolio Committee on Basic Education
- Briefing by Department of Women in the Presidency on 5th Periodic Report on Implementation of Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women – Portfolio Committee on Women in the Presidency
- Briefing on African Bank – Standing Committee on Finance
- Department of Environmental Affairs update on preparations for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora hosted in South Africa – Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs
- Consideration and adoption of nomination of candidates to serve on Land Bank Board - Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs
Wednesday
- South African Police Service briefing on new police training programmes, interventions in hotspots around the country, progress on implementation of back-to-basics, progress on Farlam Commission recommendations – Portfolio Committee on Police
- Department of Higher Education and Training briefing on forensic audit report of Construction Education and Training Authority – Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training
- Department of Labour on status report on Protected Employment Enterprises (formerly Sheltered Employment Factories) – Portfolio Committee on Labour
- Department of Water and Sanitation briefing on water boards and 2016/17 water tariffs – Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation
- National Treasury, South African Revenue Service FICA briefing on illicit financial flows, base erosion and profit shifting, the “Panama Papers” – Joint meeting of Standing Committee on Finance and Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry
Hearings
- Continuation of hearing on Bafokeng petition on alleged gross human rights violations by Bafokeng Tribal Authority – Tuesday, Select Committee on Petitions and Executive Undertakings
Bills and policies
- Consideration of Expropriation Bill – Tuesday, Portfolio Committee on Public Works
- Briefing on Foreign Service Bill by Department of International Relations and Cooperation – Tuesday, Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation
- Discussion of way forward regarding Labour Laws Amendment Bill – Wednesday, Portfolio Committee on Labour
Briefings on annual and quarterly reports and plans, budgets
Tuesday
- Sport and Recreation SA report and briefing on organisational and financial performance in fourth quarter 2015/16 financial year – Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries briefing on third and fourth quarter performance and expenditure report – Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
- Department of Arts and Culture briefing on fourth quarter expenditure – Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture
- Department of Environmental Affairs briefing on annual report 2014/2015 – Select Committee on Land and Mineral Resources
- National Treasury briefing on Draft Report on Appropriations Bill, consideration of Draft Report on Municipal Infrastructure Grant Roll-overs for Past Five Financial Years (2010 to 2015) – Select Committee on Appropriations
- Budget, strategic plan and annual performance plan of Private Security Industry Regulation Authority – Portfolio Committee on Police
- Department of Environmental Affairs briefing on 2014/2015 annual report – Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs
Wednesday
- Department of Small Business Development briefing on fourth quarter performance report – Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development
- Department of Higher Education and Training on second and third quarter non-financial and financial performance report 2015/16 – Portfolio Committee on of Higher Education and Training
- Department of Labour and entities fourth quarterly report – Portfolio Committee on Labour
- Strategic plan of Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services for 2015/16 – Select Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services
- Provincial Treasuries of Western Cape, Mpumalanga and Free State on their third and fourth term quarterly expenditure for 2015/16 – Select Committee on Finance.
