Parliament, Sunday, 27 October 2024 – The tabling of the 2024 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) and Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s appearance to give oral replies to questions in the National Assembly (NA) are among the key highlights in Parliament this week.
The Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana, will deliver the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) in the NA on Wednesday, 30 October. The sitting is scheduled for 14:00 at the Nieuwmeester Parking Marquee, corner Roeland and Plein Street opposite Parliament. On the same day, he will introduce several Section 77 (Money) bills, including the Adjustments Appropriation Bill, the Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill, and the Taxation Laws Amendment Bill.
The MTBPS is a critical element in the overall budget process, as it sets out the policy framework for the budget presented every February. It also provides the country and its elected representatives with an update on the National Treasury’s economic forecasts, adjusts the budgets of government departments, and makes emergency changes to spending.
The MTBPS also enables Parliament and the public to interact with the government’s budget plans several months ahead of the budget in February next year. For example, committees with oversight over specific government departments review these departments’ delivery on specific departmental targets and the effectiveness and efficiency of their current use of available resources and future use of resources. The committees’ Budget Review and Recommendation Reports (BRRR) must be tabled in the NA before adopting the MTBPS.
Before the 14:00 sitting, the Minister will brief a joint meeting of the NCOP Select Committees on Appropriations and Finance and the NA Standing Committees on Appropriations and Finance in a lock-up session from 11:00 until 13:45.
Question and Answer Sessions
As stipulated in section 92(2) of the Constitution, oral question-and-answer sessions are one of a range of methods Parliament uses to hold the executive accountable. Members of the executive are accountable collectively and individually to Parliament for exercising their powers and performing their functions. Both Houses of Parliament will convene plenaries on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for Questions for Oral Reply sessions with members of the executive.
On Thursday, the Deputy President will provide replies to members’ questions during a plenary session in the NA at 14:00.
In the NCOP, on Tuesday and Wednesday at 14:00, the Governance Cluster Ministries (3A and 3B) will answer questions from the Permanent Delegates of the National Council of Provinces in hybrid plenaries. Cluster 3A comprises ministers responsible for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, as well as Public Service and Administration. Cluster 3B includes the ministers of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, as well as Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.
Other Plenaries
The first plenary in the National Assembly for the week will convene on Tuesday, 29 October, at 14:00 to consider, among other things, committee reports, legislation, a decision on questions on matters debated in mini-plenaries, members’ statements, and an executive statement.
On Thursday, the NCOP will conclude its hybrid sittings for the week with a plenary at 14:00 to discuss motions and consider committee reports and legislation. The sitting will also hold a debate on taking decisive measures to deal with construction mafias and systemic extortion in the construction industry in South Africa.
The two Houses will convene their respective Programming Committee meetings at 08:30 on Thursday to consider the parliamentary programme, bills before the Houses and other priority programmes.
There are 31 NA and NCOP committee meetings, including joint meetings, scheduled for this week. They are scheduled as follows:
TUESDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2024
Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture: Consideration and adoption of draft committee minutes (15 and 18 October 2024); Briefing by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture on the 2023/24 Annual Report. Committee Room 1, Upper Ground Floor, 90 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 09:00
Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs: Discussion on the draft Local Government: Municipal Coalitions Bill; Discussion by the Committee on proposed international study tour and matters raised by communities. Committee Room S35, 1st Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:00
Standing Committee on Public Accounts: Briefing by the AGSA on the audit outcomes for the following municipalities: Eastern Cape Municipalities: OR Tambo; KZN Municipalities: eThekwini Metro; North-West Municipalities: Ngaka Modiri Municipality. Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-14:00
Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation: Briefing by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on the 10-year Foundational Digital Capabilities Research Programme. Venue: Public Service Commission (PSC) Boardroom, 21st Floor, Golden Acre Mall, 9 Adderley Street, Cape Town, 09:30-12:00
Portfolio Committee on Basic Education: Consideration and adoption of Portfolio Committee Budget Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR); Engagement with PEDs on budget cuts and post declarations (Western Cape and Northern Cape). Committee Room M515, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:30-12:30
Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources: Briefing by Alexkor on their roles and responsibilities, programmes and projects, challenges and achievements; Consideration and adoption of Stakeholder Engagement Report; Consideration and adoption of Minutes. Committee Room S26, First Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 09:30-12:30
Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition: Briefing by the DTIC on implementing Master Plans. Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:30-13:00
Portfolio Committee on Transport: Briefing by the Department of Transport and SANRAL on “Operation Vala Zonke”; Briefing by the Department of Transport on the implementation of the new Taxi Recapitalisation Programme (TRP); Consideration and adoption of minutes of proceedings. Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 09:30
Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment: Briefing by the Department on the state of air quality in the country, air quality monitoring stations and enforcement of the Air Quality Act in the Vaal Triangle Air-shed, Highveld, Waterberg-Bojanala priority area; and Briefing by Green Peace Africa on the air pollution report titled Major Air Polluters in Africa. Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00
Portfolio Committee on Agriculture: Consideration and adoption of the Oversight Visit Report on Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) and Agricultural Research Council (ARC); Consideration and adoption of the draft outstanding minutes. Boardroom WS3/116, 3rd Floor, 90 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 09:30-13:00
Portfolio Committee on Tourism: Briefing by the Department of Tourism on the Policy Review Process; Briefing by the Department of Tourism on the Tourism Masterplan; Consideration and adoption of minutes. Committee Room M314, Third Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 10:00
Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture: Briefing by the CCIFSA on the financial statements from 2016-2024. Committee Room 1, Upper Ground Floor, 90 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 10:00-12:30
Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies: Briefing on the progress of the establishment of the State Digital Infrastructure Company by the Department; Briefing by the FPB on the implementation of the FPB Amendment Act; Adoption of minutes. FFC Building, 33 Heerengracht, 11th Floor, Cape Town, 10:00-13:00
Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: Consideration of a petition from #TeamFreeSanitaryPads, calling on the Assembly to investigate the provision of free sanitary pads and menstrual health. Consideration and adoption of minutes. Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00
Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament: Election of co-chairpersons to the Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament. Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 13:00-14:00
Joint Standing Committee on Defence: Election of co-Chairpersons. Good Hope Chamber, Ground Floor, Good Hope Building, Parliament, 13:00-14:00
WEDNESDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2024
Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training: Briefing by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) on its state of affairs in relation to governance, administration and related matters. Committee Room M314, Third Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-14:00
Portfolio Committee on Police: Briefing by the Civilian Secretariat for Police on compliance with the Domestic Violence and Police Station Census. Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:30
Portfolio Committee on Social Development: Briefing by the National Shelter Movement for South Africa on the funding, resourcing and compliance to norms and standards of NPOs in South Africa; Briefing by the Gauteng Care Crisis Centre on the funding, resourcing and compliance to norms and standards of NPOs in South Africa. Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00
Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure: Briefing by the DPWI and National Treasury on the business model of a properly operationalised PMTE that has the legal and administrative tools to reclaim debt owed and trade the value of the government’s property portfolio; Consideration and adoption of the Gauteng oversight report; Consideration and adoption of minutes. Boardroom 4031, 4th Floor, 90 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 09:30-12:30
Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements: Update by the Provincial Departments of Human Settlements of North-West and Gauteng, City of Tshwane and the North-West Housing Corporation on the Ga-Rankuwa/Mabopane Petition; Update by the Department of Human Settlements Western Cape and Breede Valley Municipality on the Breede Valley Petition; Consideration and adoption of minutes. Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00
Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition: Briefing by Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies on the Outcomes of its Masterplans evaluation. Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 09:30-13:00
Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development: Navigating Market Access for Small Businesses; Consideration and adoption of committee minutes. Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00
Portfolio Committee on Land Reform and Rural Development: Briefing by the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development on Communal Property Associations Annual Report on Progress, challenges and interventions and report on TRANCRAA areas. Venue: NSFAS Building, 16th Floor, Christiaan Barnard Street, Cape Town, 09:30-13:00
Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans: Engagement with the Acting Secretary for Defence and Chief of the SANDF Human Resources on plans for force rejuvenation; the implementation of previous parliamentary recommendations (Legacy Report) on rejuvenation; efforts to bring compensation of employees’ expenditure under control; Consideration of outstanding minutes. Committee Room S35, First Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:00
Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade: Briefing by the Minister of Employment and Labour regarding the late tabling of the annual reports of the Unemployment Insurance Fund; Briefing by the Compensation Fund on its 2023/24 annual report. Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00
Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration: Briefing by the Content Advisor and Researcher on the summary analysis of submissions received for the Public Service Commission Bill; Consideration and adoption of the minutes. Committee Room M201, Second Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:00
Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance, Standing Committee on Appropriations, Select Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Appropriations: 2024 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement Lock-up Session. Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 11:00- 13:30
THURSDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2024
Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance, Standing Committee on Appropriations, Select Committee on Finance, and Select Committee on Appropriations: Briefing by Minister of Finance on 2024 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement. Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 12:00-14:00
FRIDAY, 1 NOVEMBER 2024
Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture: Consideration and adoption of the Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report; Briefing by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) on the status report of the Paris 2024 Olympic/Paralympics Games and how they plan to build on the Paris 2024 performance in preparation for Los Angeles 2028. Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00
Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, [Engagement on matters raised by communities], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00
For the latest full schedule of committee meetings (updated regularly), please visit: https://www.parliament.gov.za/committee-schedules
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
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