Happening at Parliament this week
Following the two-day debate by Members of Parliament on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the President’s reply to the debate, focus now turns to the 2019 Budget.
The 2019 Budget Speech and associated Bills, which Finance Minister Mr Tito Mboweni is scheduled to table and introduce at Wednesday’s plenary sitting of the National Assembly, will give details of spending and revenue collection plans to carry out the programme presented in the SONA.
The Minister of Finance presents the budget to Parliament, which, through recommendations from the Finance and Appropriations Committees of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, makes the final budget decisions. The Constitution allows Parliament to make these decisions so that the people, through their democratically-elected representatives, have a say in budget choices which have a major impact on our society.
Plenary sittings of the National Assembly on Tuesday and Thursday are also scheduled to consider five legislative issues and to hold two debates.
At Tuesday’s National Assembly sitting the subject for discussion is: “Transforming the economy to serve the people”. On Thursday the debate on an urgent matter of national public importance is titled: “Eskom energy crisis”.
On Tuesday, the National Assembly is scheduled to consider the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Amendment Bill, a legislative proposal to amend the National Minimum Wage Act of 2018 and the Carbon Tax Bill. For Thursday’s sitting, the Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill and the Public Investment Corporation Amendment Bill have been scheduled.
There are no plenary sittings of the National Council of Provinces this week.
Thirty-nine committee meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Items coming up at these meetings include the 2019 Budget, 16 Bills and legislative issues, matters of public interest and reports from government departments and entities.
Committee meetings scheduled for the week ahead include:
Tuesday
Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture: Update by the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) on its entities, in particular, forensic investigations instituted and the outcomes (PACOFS, National Arts Council, South African Heritage Resources Agency, National Library of South Africa, National Film and Video Foundation; South African Roadies Association and Robben Island Museum); DAC briefing on measures to deal with load shedding at entities; DAC briefing on the adjudication panel (annual programme and minutes of meetings)
Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs: Department of Environmental Affairs briefing on the Waste Bureau. (1) Supply Chain Management: Appointment of service providers for collection, transportation and storage of waste tyres; name of service providers/company and directors; amount, location, sizes of the storage facility; duration of the contract; process followed in appointment of the service providers. (2) Operationalisation of the Waste Bureau: Operational effectiveness of the system
Portfolio Committee on Police: Adoption of Eastern Cape Oversight Report; other reports and legislation; consideration of the National Council of Provinces amendments on the Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill; Private Member’s Bill on the Regulation of Gathering Act (Adv. Alberts)
Ad Hoc Committee to Identify Suitable Candidates for Filling Vacancies in Commission for Gender Equality: Shortlisting of candidates
Joint Meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance, Select Committee on Finance, Standing Committee on Appropriations and Select Committee on Appropriations: Pre-Budget briefing by Parliamentary Budget Office
Portfolio Committee on Public Works: Briefing on the properties and land parcels earmarked for land reform through the land restitution process
Ad Hoc Committee to inquire into the intervention in the North West Provincial Government in terms of Section 100 of the Constitution: Consideration and adoption of the Committee’s Legacy Report
Wednesday
Joint meeting of Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform, Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation: Roundtable discussions on land reform (beneficiary selection and landholding entities) with the Presidential Advisory Panel
Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources: SA Human Rights Commission briefing on the national hearings on the underlying socio-economic challenges of mining-affected communities
Select Committee on Petitions and Executive Undertakings: Consideration of the Government Advertising Agency Petition (calling for enactment of legislation that would provide for establishment of the Government Advertising Agency)
Joint meeting of Standing Committee on Finance, Select Committee on Finance, Standing Committee on Appropriations and Select Committee on Appropriations: Budget Lock-up Session on the 2019 Budget
Select Committee on Security and Justice; Committee deliberation on the written comments received from the public on the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Amendment Bill; Committee consideration of the Bill
Thursday
Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance, Select Committee on Finance, Standing Committee on Appropriations and Select Committee on Appropriations: Briefing by the Minister of Finance on the 2019 Budget
Friday
Portfolio Committee on Police: Speaker’s referral (regarding the contract of employment of Mr Robert McBride Executive Director of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate) – consideration and deliberation on submissions received from parties
For the latest full schedule of committee meetings (updated regularly), please click:https://www.parliament.gov.za/parliament-tv
Enquiries:
Moloto Mothapo
Cell: 082 370 6930
