Parliament, Sunday 10 March 2019 – Deputy President David Mabuza is scheduled to answer questions for oral reply at Tuesday’s National Assembly plenary sitting.

Regular oral question and answer sessions are one of the ways in which Parliament scrutinises and oversees executive action. Another oral question and answer session is scheduled for Wednesday’s National Assembly sitting. This will involve Cluster 4 Economics Ministers – Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Communications; Economic Development; Energy; Environmental Affairs; Finance; Labour; Mineral Resources; and Public Enterprises.

Bills are scheduled to follow the oral questions sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday. Bills scheduled for consideration at Tuesday’s National Assembly plenary sitting are the Traditional Courts Bill, the Banks Amendment Bill and the Financial Matters Amendment Bill.

Scheduled for Wednesday’s sitting is the Division of Revenue Bill, which allocates funds to the national, provincial and local spheres of government.

Wednesday’s scheduled consideration of the Bill follows agreement last week to the 2019 Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals. These and the Bill are part of the 2019/2020 annual national Budget, which Minister of Finance Mr Tito Mboweni tabled before Parliament on 20 February.

On Thursday, the National Assembly plenary sitting is scheduled to consider Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry reports recommending approval for three international treaties. Also scheduled for consideration is the Portfolio Committee on Police’s report on confirmation of the Minister of Police’s recommendation not to renew the term of office of Mr Robert McBride as Executive Director of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate. Six reports on international study tours are also scheduled for consideration at the sitting.

There are no plenary sittings of the National Council of Provinces this week.

The 43 scheduled committee meetings of both Houses feature 11 Bills, national and international matters of public interest and reports from government departments and entities.

Committee meetings scheduled for the week ahead include:

TUESDAY

Ad Hoc Committee to identify suitable candidates for the filling of vacancies in the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE): Consideration and adoption of draft progress report on filling of vacancies in the CGE; interviews

Portfolio Committee on Energy: Briefing by the Central Energy Fund and its subsidiaries on their Annual Reports for 2017/18

Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs: Minister of Home Affairs and Acting Director-General of the Department of Home Affairs briefing on the Visa Facilitation Service contract and progress made in implementing the E-Visa system; deliberations on Gupta family naturalisation draft report

Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Progress report on implementing the Food and Nutrition Security Policy and establishing the Food Control Agency by the Interdepartmental Task Team on Food Security and Food Safety; progress report on addressing challenges facing the poultry industry by the Interdepartmental Task Team established to address poultry industry challenges (including avian influenza, imports and AGOA, closing down of poultry businesses and job losses); progress on implementing the Audit Action Plan by the Marine Living Resources Fund on issues raised by the Auditor-General; Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ reflection on the Internal Audit Committee’s concerns/recommendations on conditional grants; Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ progress report on implementing recommendations of the Harris Nupen Molebatsi and Emang Basadi Forensic Reports 

Portfolio Committee on Communications: Deliberation on outcome of interviews of candidates for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Board and adoption of report; discussion on the matter of the Chairperson of the Council of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa; SABC briefing on progress with the turnaround strategy, labour relations issues and implementing recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee on SABC Board Inquiry

Standing Committee on Appropriations: Consideration and adoption of Committee’s report on 2019 Division of Revenue Bill

Select Committee on Finance: Public hearings on the Carbon Tax Bill; Customs and Excise Amendment Bill; Public Investment Corporation Amendment Bill (a Committee Bill)

Portfolio Committee on Public Works: Briefing by the Department of Public Works and Department of International Relations and Co-operation on management and disposal of immovable assets outside of the Republic of South Africa

WEDNESDAY

Ad Hoc Committee to identify suitable candidates for the filling of vacancies in the Commission for Gender Equality: Continuation of interviews

Portfolio Committee on Police: South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence Division briefing on implementing turnaround strategy; SAPS update on vetting of senior management and disciplinary matters, including status report on lifestyle audit; deliberations on the motion of desirability for the Private Members Bill

Joint Meeting of Standing Committee on Appropriations and Select Committee on Appropriations: Public hearing on 2019 Public Audit Excess Fee Bill

Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry: Consideration of International Trade Agreement with the UK; formal consideration of Industrialisation/Localisation Report; formal consideration of committee’s Legacy Report

Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises: Department of Public Enterprises briefing on contribution of state-owned companies in terms of jobs created, promotion and support of women and youth-owned businesses

Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration/ Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation: National School of Government briefing on orientation of unemployed youth graduates and interns undergoing Breaking Barriers to Entry (BB2E) programme and its impact; National Youth Development Agency briefing on impact of grant funding, Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund and turnaround times for processing applications

Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament: Adoption of report on Parliament’s performance in the first half of the 2018/19 financial year; committee minutes; committee’s 2018 Annual Report; committee’s 2014 - 2019 Legacy Report

THURSDAY

Ad Hoc Committee to identify suitable candidates for the filling of vacancies in the Commission for Gender Equality: Deliberations on candidates

Constitutional Review Committee: Adoption of reports on 2016, 2017 and 2018 public submissions; adoption of minutes and committee’s 2014-2019 Legacy Report

FRIDAY

Standing Committee on Appropriations: Consideration and adoption of draft committee report on Public Audit Excess Fee Bill

Ad Hoc Committee to identify suitable candidates for the filling of vacancies in the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE): Consideration and adoption of committee report on filling of vacancies in the CGE

For the latest full schedule of committee meetings (updated regularly), please click: https://www.parliament.gov.za/whatson

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo