Parliament, Wednesday 27 May 2020 – Parliament has accredited 24 members of the media to be physically present to cover today's hybrid sitting of the National Assembly (NA).
The hybrid sitting entails a limited number of Members of Parliament (MPs) being physically present in the NA Chamber and others joining through a virtual platform.
The hybrid sitting will be conducted in line with the Rules on virtual sittings of the House, which were published in the ATC of 15 April and were also endorsed by the NA Rules Committee on 19 May. They supplement the Rules of the NA which, remain in force and applicable to all meetings of the NA.
The sitting will be conducted in line with the standing conventions, which includes the ushering of the Mace by the Sergeant-at-arms, to signal the start of the session and the authority of the Presiding Officer, and silent prayers or meditation. Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli, who will be physically present in the House, will kick-start the chairing of the session, followed by Speaker Thandi Modise, who will be connected through the virtual platform, and other presiding officers (House Chairpersons).
The sitting, which is starting at 15.00, will feature questions for oral reply to ten Cabinet Ministers in the social services and governance clusters. These are Basic Education; Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs; Health; Higher Education, Science and Technology; Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation; Minister in the Presidency; Public Service and Administration; Social Development; Sports, Arts and Culture; Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.
Please click: https://www.parliament.gov.za/storage/app/media/Docs/quest_pap/96541c71-09f3-416b-9c09-89da4c58674a.pdf for the questions.
Media accredited to be physically in the Chamber for today’s oral questions session must:
Use the Lelie Street entrance, with its walk-through sanitiser, to enter the precinct.
Use their parliamentary permits or parliamentary access tags (obtainable at the Lelie Street entrance) to access the precinct and the NA Chamber, where the sitting will be held.
Take their designated seats in the NA Chamber’s public gallery, instead of the, usually designated, media bays. Seating will be in accordance with social distancing guidelines.
Observe hygiene and social distancing protocols when interviewing physically present MPs.
Wear masks at all times while in the parliamentary precinct, including in the NA Chamber. No entry will be allowed into the precinct without a mask.
Media or members of the public who wish to follow proceedings should tune in to Parliament TV (DSTV Channel 408), or the live stream on Parliament’s YouTube, Twitter and Facebook accounts –https://twitter.com/ParliamentofRSA; https://facebook.com/ParliamentofRSA; https://www.youtube.com/ParliamentofRSA
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo – 082 370 6930
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