Parliament, Sunday 1 September 2019 – An international visit by two members of the esteemed group of The Elders, Ms Gro Harlem Brundtland – the former Prime Minister of Norway, and Mr Ricardo Lagos – former President of Chile, is amongst the key items on Parliament’s agenda this week.

The two Elders will pay a brief courtesy visit to the Presiding Officers, the Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) Ms Thandi Modise, and Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Ms Sylvia Lucas on Tuesday, and will further hold a joint meeting with the NA’s Portfolio Committee on Health and the NCOP’s Select Committee on Health and Social Services.

Founded in 2007, by the first democratically elected President of South Africa, Tata Nelson Mandela, The Elders is an independent group of global leaders working together for peace, justice and human rights in the world. Ms Gro Harlem, the first woman Prime Minister of Norway and Deputy Chair of The Elders, is a medical doctor who champions health as a human right and put sustainable development on the international agenda. Mr Ricardo Lagos is a tenacious fighter for democracy and human rights. He implemented health reform; and reduced economic inequality while diversifying Chile’s external trade in the era of globalisation.

Amongst the members of The Elders are, the former UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, former President of Liberia and Nobel Peace Laureate, Ms Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, Mr Desmond Tutu.

Also on the programme of Parliament are debates on matters of national importance, questions to the Executive and Strategic Planning Sessions for NCOP committees.

The NA will hold two debates this week; the National Women’s Day debate on Tuesday, and the debate of an urgent matter of national public importance - The Unemployment Crisis in South Africa, sponsored by the Leader of the Official Opposition, Mr Mmusi Maimane – scheduled for Thursday.

Ministers in the Peace and Security Cluster and the Social Services Cluster will appear in the NA and the NCOP for oral questions this week.

On Thursday, the Peace and Security Cluster comprising of Departments of Defence and Military Veterans, Home Affairs, International Relations and Cooperation, Justice and Correctional Services, Police and State Security will answer questions in the NA, whilst in the other House, the Social Services Cluster including the Department of Basic Education; Department of Higher Education, Science and Technology; and Department of Sports, Arts and Culture will take questions from NCOP delegates.

Putting questions to members of the executive is how Parliament exercises oversight over the actions of the executive.

Meanwhile, the NCOP will embark on a Committees’ Strategic Planning Session on Tuesday, 03 and Wednesday, 04 September.

Amongst parliamentary committees scheduled for this week is a Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament. The Committee will receive a briefing from the Acting Secretary to Parliament on Thursday, on the institution’s performance in the first quarter of the 2019/2020 financial year and the 2020/21 draft budget and annual performance plan.

The South African Navy and the South African Air Force will appear before the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on Friday, 6 September to brief the Committee about the sea-hours, flying hours and the capacity constraints for effective utilisation of both naval and air assets.

SELECT COMMITTEES ON OVERSIGHT VISITS SCHEDULED FOR THIS WEEK:

 The Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Water and Sanitation and Human Settlements will conduct oversight visits to Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The Committee will be at Phokwane Local Municipality (Northern Cape) on Monday and move to Msunduzi and Mtubatuba Local Municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.

 THERE ARE 42 COMMITTEE MEETINGS SCHEDULED THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 3 September 2019

Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology: Briefing by the Department of Higher Education and Training on the latest development in the finalisation of the new SETA landscape and an overview of the work of the SETAs
Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries: Continuation of briefings by the Departmental Entities: Briefing by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) on their APP and Strategic Plans for 2019/20; Briefing by the SAWS Board on the progress relating to the disciplinary process of the CEO; Briefing by the Isimangaliso Wetland Park Authority on their APP and Strategic Plans for 2019/20; Briefing by SAWS and Isimangaliso Wetland Park on their fourth-quarter report for 2018/19
Portfolio Committee on Transport: Briefing by the Road Accident Fund (RAF) on their 2019/20 Annual Performance Plan; Briefing by the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA) on their 2019/20 Annual Performance Plan;
Standing Committee on Finance: Briefing by the National Treasury and South African Revenue Service on the 2019 Draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (TLAB), 2019 Draft Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill (TALAB), 2019 Draft Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill (Rates Bill) and the 2019 Draft Income Tax Amendment Bill

 Wednesday, 4 September 2019

Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology: Briefing by the Department of Higher Education and Training progress report in the construction of the new TVET college campuses including a general overview of the TVET sector concerning governance, management, teaching and learning
Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans: Briefing by the Department of Defence and National Treasury on the current budget shortfall in terms of Compensation of Employees as well as funding for the Defence Review Work Packages.
Portfolio Committee on Social Development: Briefing by the Department of Social Development on backlogs in the Foster Care System and plans to address it.
Standing Committee on Appropriations: Comment by the Parliamentary Budget Office on the Special Appropriation Bill [B10-2019]
Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance, Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, and Portfolio Committee on Police: Update on Steinhoff
Select Committee on Security and Justice: Briefing by the Magistrates’ Commission on the progress reports for Mag. ES Nzimande, Mag. JF Van Schalkwyk, Mag. LB Freeman, and Mag. MD Hinxa

Thursday, 5 September 2019 

Joint Standing Committee on Defence: Briefing on South African National Defence Force (SANDF)’s organisational structure, force levels and plans at organisational renewal and force renewal
Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament: Briefing by the Acting Secretary to Parliament on the institution’s draft 2020/21 budget and annual performance plan

 Friday, 6 September 2019 

Portfolio Committee on Police: Committee hosting the Chinese delegation

For a full list of the Committees, visit Parliament’s website, www.parliament.gov.za

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