Parliament, Sunday 3 March 2019 - President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to appear before the National Assembly (NA) on Thursday (7 March 2019) to respond to questions from Members of the National Assembly (NA) on a wide range of issues. These regular oral question and answer sessions are an important mechanism through which Parliamentarians hold the executive to account.
This appearance in the NA by the President will be his final question and answer session before the National Assembly, which is scheduled to rise on 20 March.
Both Houses of Parliament will have plenary sittings, with the NA scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday while the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has one plenary sitting scheduled for Wednesday.
During the plenary, the NCOP will consider three (3) Bills: the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Amendment Bill; the National Public Health Institute of South Africa Bill; and the third Bill will be the National Credit Amendment Bill.
The Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Amendment Bill seeks to amend the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, 2003, so as to amend a definition; and to provide that the arrest and removal, on the order of a Presiding Officer, of a person who creates or takes part in any disturbance on the precincts is not applicable to a Member.
The National Public Health Institute of South Africa Bill seeks to provide for the establishment of the National Public Health Institute of South Africa in order to coordinate, and where appropriate to conduct, disease and injury surveillance.
The plenary will further consider a report of the Select Committee on Finance; Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals and several reports from the Select Committee on Security and Justice.
During its plenary sitting on Tuesday, the NA will consider four (4) Bills: National Health Laboratory Service Amendment Bill; the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Amendment Bill; Protection, Promotion, Development and Management of Indigenous Knowledge Bill; and the Critical Infrastructure Bill.
National Health Laboratory Service Amendment Bill seeks to amend the National Health Laboratory Services Act, 2000 in order to improve the governance, accountability and financial sustainability of the National Health Laboratory Service.
The Protection, Promotion, Development and Management of Indigenous Knowledge Bill seeks to, amongst others, provide for the protection, promotion, development and management of indigenous knowledge.
There are 42 committee meetings scheduled for this week. Items coming up at these meetings include briefings from several government departments, deliberation on Bills, public hearings and matters of public interest.
The Portfolio Committee on Communications will conduct interviews of the 24 shortlisted candidates to fill the eight vacancies that exist at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Board. The Committee will further deliberate on Films and Publications Amendment Bill and adoption of its report.
The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs will be briefed by Minister of Home Affairs and the department’s acting Director-General on the contingency plans to render services at Lindela Repatriation Centre after the voluntary liquidation of Global African Operations (GAO), formerly known as Bosasa.
On Tuesday, the Select Committee on Finance will consider and adopt the report on the Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals. The Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs will receive a briefing on the forensic report on the investigation instituted in terms of sections 106 (1) of the Local Government Municipal Systems Act 2000 following allegations of possible maladministration, fraud, corruption or malpractices in Bitou Local Municipality.
On Wednesday the Portfolio Committee on Police will be briefed by the DPCI on high profile investigations and progress regarding the establishment of Narcotics/Fire-arms Units. Inputs will include those from the Tobacco Institute of South Africa and Corruption Watch.
On Friday there will be a Joint Meeting of the Standing Committee on Appropriations and Select Committee on Appropriations to hold public hearings on the 2019 Division of Revenue Bill.
Committee meetings scheduled for the week ahead include:
TUESDAY, 5 MARCH 2019
Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements: Briefing by the Free State Department of Human Settlements and the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality on its plan to improve performance especially on the Urban Settlements Development Grant.
Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation: Briefing by the Auditor General of South Africa on the audit outcomes of water boards for the 2017/18 financial year.
Select Committee on Land and Mineral Resources: Briefing by the Department of Environmental Affairs on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Environmental Management for Sustainable Development; Briefing by the Department of Environmental Affairs on the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
Standing Committee on Appropriations: Briefing by National Treasury on the progress and expenditure of the Employment Creation Facilitation Fund (Jobs Fund).
Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services: Briefing by SAPO on update on grants and all other outstanding backlog issues.
WEDNESDAY, 6 MARCH 2019
Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources: Continuation on the Second and Third Quarterly Reports by the Department of Mineral Resources; Responses by the Department of Mineral Resources on the report by South African Human Rights Commission, “Report on the Underlying Socio-economic Challenges of Mining-Affected Communities in South Africa”
Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology: Committee consideration on the Science and Technology Laws Amendment Bill.
Standing Committee on Appropriations: Briefing by National Treasury on the Integrated Financial Management System.
Select Committee on Trade and International Relations: Department Responses to the Submissions of the Copyright Amendment Bill and Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill.
Select Committee on Education and Recreation: Deliberations and finalisation of the National Qualifications Framework Amendment Bill.
Select Committee on Finance, Briefing by National Treasury and the South African Revenue Service on the following Bills: Carbon Tax Bill; Customs and Excise Amendment Bill; and Public Investment Corporation Amendment Bill (Committee Bill).
Select Committee on Security and Justice, Committee consideration of the Defence Amendment Bill, Committee consideration of the Committee Report on the Defence Amendment Bill; Committee consideration of the Committee Legacy Report.
THURSDAY, 7 MARCH 2019
Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Appropriations and Select Committee on Appropriations: Briefing by National Treasury on the 2019 Division of Revenue Bill and the 2019 Public Audit Excess Fee Bill.
Standing Committee on Finance: Financial Matters Amendment Bill deliberations and possible voting
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
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