Coming up this week – 13 Budget Vote Debates, Nine Policy debates on Budget Votes, debate on outcomes of taking Parliament to the People report back and 26 Committee meetings
The Parliament Budget (Vote 2) is scheduled for separate debates by the National Assembly (NA) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday.
Vote 2 is among the 13 Budget Votes that will be debated by the NA Extended Public Committees (EPC) this week and also among eight Policy Debates on Budget Votes by the NCOP.
Legislation governing how Parliament must manage its finances, the Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act of 2009, was amended last year to sharpen certain provisions. The amendments which came into effect in April 2015 include establishment of an oversight mechanism to oversee financial management of Parliament.
The other 12 Budget Votes scheduled for debate by the NA EPC are:
- Tuesday - Basic Education (Vote 14), Health (Vote 16), Labour (Vote 28), Telecommunications and Postal Services (Vote 32), Transport (Vote 35) and Arts and Culture (Vote 37).
- Wednesday - Public Service and Administration (Vote 10), Women (Vote 13), Defence and Military Veterans (Vote 19), Energy (Vote 26), Small Business Development (Vote 31) and Water and Sanitation (Vote 36).
The Policy Debates on Budget Votes to be dealt with by the NCOP plenary sittings this week includes:
- Tuesday - Social Development (Vote 17), Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Vote 20) and Police (Vote 23);
- Wednesday - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Vote 24), Transport (Vote 35) and Rural Development and Land Reform (Vote 39) {Votes 24 & 39 will be processed in one debate};
- Thursday - Basic Education (Vote 14) and Higher Education and Training Vote 15. {Votes 14 and 15 will be processed in one debate}
Other matters scheduled for consideration during NCOP sittings this week include:
- Debate on outcomes of report back session of Taking Parliament to the People in Eden District Municipality, on Tuesday;
- Invitation from Minister of Finance to nominate candidates to be considered for appointment to the Land Bank Board, on Wednesday;• Invitation from Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to nominate candidates to serve on National Agricultural Marketing Council; and
- Oversight visit to Kruger National Park (Mpumalanga).
In addition to these sittings of the NA and the NCOP, 26 Committee meetings have been scheduled for this week. Most are scheduled to deal with financial and strategic plans of departments but other matters, as listed below, will also be considered:
Bills
- On Tuesday, the Select Committee on Economic and Business Development will consider Final mandates on the Expropriation Bill;
- On Wednesday, the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training will undertake Final considerations to the Higher Education Bill;
- The Portfolio Committee on Labour will be briefed by the Parliamentary Legal Advisor on the Labour Laws Amendment Act
- On Friday, the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry will undertake a Formal consideration of the Remote Gambling Bill.
Briefings on specifics subjects
- On Tuesday, the Standing Committee on Finance will hold a follow up meeting with the Public Investment Corporation, Government Employees’ Pension Fund and Government Administration Agency;
- On Wednesday, the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises will be briefed by Denel on recent developments at the company;
- The Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry will have an engagement with the National Regulator of Compulsory Specifications;
- The Portfolio Committee on Labour will be briefed by the Departments of Labour and Home Affairs on immigration policy and issuing of work permits to foreign nationals;
- The Standing Committee on Finance will be briefed by the Chief Procurement Officer;
- On Friday, the Multiparty Women’s Caucus Steering Committee will hold discussions with the Malawi Multiparty Women’s Caucus.
Hearings
- On Wednesday the NCOP’s Select Committee on Petitions and Executive Undertakings will conduct hearings on the House of Traditional Leaders’ petition on the alleged failure by the Western Cape Provincial Government to recognise a House of Traditional Leaders in the province.
