Parliament, Sunday, 26 November 2023 – This week, National Assembly (NA) Speaker, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will lead a multi-party delegation to the 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 30 November until 12 December 2023.
The UN Climate Change Conference is an annual multilateral decision-making forum that brings together the global community to deliberate on ways to address the climate crisis, meaning limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, helping vulnerable communities adapt to the effects of climate change, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, among others.
The parliamentary delegation will form part of the SA national delegation comprising of government departments and civil society. Over 70 000 delegates are expected to attend COP28, including the member states of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), business leaders, young people, climate scientists, indigenous peoples, journalists, and various other experts and stakeholders.
On Tuesday, the NA sitting will start at 10:00 with a debate on the 9th BRICS Parliamentary Forum and consideration of the Budget Review and Recommendation Reports (BRRR) of various Portfolio Committees. Some of the reports that will be considered include those of the PC on Water and Sanitation, PC on Communications and Digital Technologies, and PC on International Relations and Cooperation.
The same sitting will also consider reports of the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests on a number of items relating to breaches by several Members of Parliament.
The House will also hold a debate on the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, themed: “The Role of Men in Combating Gender-based Violence and Femicide.”
On Wednesday at 15:00, the Economic Cluster (4) Ministers will appear before the NA for a question-and- answer session. The Cluster includes national Ministers of Finance; Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development; Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment; Communications and Digital Technologies; Employment and Labour; as well as Electricity, Mineral Resources and Energy. The House will also resume consideration of BRRR reports of the Standing Committee on Finance and the PC on Trade, Industry and Competition.
During its hybrid plenary at 14:00 on Thursday, the NA will consider legislation from various Committees. The Committee Reports scheduled for consideration are the Reports of the Standing Committee on Finance on Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill], the Standing Committee on Finance on Taxation Laws Amendment Bill, the Standing Committee on Finance on Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill, the PC on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on Independent Municipal Demarcation Authority Bill, the PC on Communications and Digital Technologies on South African Post Office SOC Ltd Amendment Bill.
On Friday at 10:00, the NA is scheduled to hold a debate on World AIDS Day on the theme: “Community response to overcome the spread of HIV and the impact of AIDS interventions.”
The National Council of Provinces’ agenda:
Meanwhile, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will hold two plenary sittings this week on Wednesday and Thursday.
On Wednesday at 14:00, the Council will consider several Bills, including the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill, the National Road Traffic Amendment Bill, the National Land Transport Amendment Bill, the Economic Regulation of Transport Bill, the Correctional Services Amendment Bill, the Judicial Matters Amendment Bill, and the National Health Insurance Bill.
On Thursday also at 14:00, the Council will consider the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests Reports on the non-disclosures of members’ interests for 2022 and contravention of the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests. Also on Thursday, delegates will have a debate on water quality in South Africa and government's efforts and responsibility towards clean water and security.
Also on Thursday, the NA and NCOP will convene a virtual Joint Programming Committee meeting aimed at planning the programme of Parliament for the next year.
As constitutionally mandated, public participation is one of the chief functions of Parliament. Throughout this year, the national legislature has embarked on nationwide public hearings on various new pieces of legislation and Amendment Bills.
This week, the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy will hold public hearings on the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill in the Eastern Cape. The committee will be soliciting public inputs on the draft legislation in four district municipalities, including Alfred Nzo District at the Maluti Civic Centre in Matatiele on Monday, 27 November and the OR Tambo District at Mhlontlo Town Hall in Tsolo on Tuesday 28 November. On Wednesday 29 November, there will be public hearings on the Bill in the Chris Hani District Municipality at Thobi Kula Indoor Sports Centre in Queenstown. On Thursday 30 November, there will be public hearings in Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality at Babs Madikane Town Hall in Uitenhage.
Committee meetings:
There are twenty-eight (28) committee meetings scheduled for this week, which include:
MONDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 2023:
Select Committee on Appropriations: Consideration of Negotiating Mandates on the 2023 Division of Revenue Amendment Bill, Virtual Meeting Platform, 12:30.
Ad Hoc Joint Committee on Flood Disaster Relief and Recovery: Consideration and adoption of the Report of the Ad Hoc Joint Committee on Flood Disaster Relief and Recovery, Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:00-20:00.
TUESDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 2023:
Standing Committee on Finance: Consideration and adoption of the committee report and clause-by-clause deliberations on the Public Procurement Bill [B18 – 2023], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00.
Standing Committee on Appropriations: Briefing by the Department of Water and Sanitation and the Department of Human Settlements on the 2023 Adjustments Appropriation Bill [B34-2023], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00.
Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Water and Sanitation and Human Settlements: Briefing by the Free State MEC of COGTA on Section 139 (1)(b) of the Constitution in municipalities, including Kopanong Local Municipality, Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00.
Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour: Follow-up briefing by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Virtual Meeting Platform, 14:00-17:00.
Select Committee on Appropriations: Consideration of Final Mandates and Report on the 2023 Division of Revenue Amendment Bill, Virtual Meeting Platform, 16:00-18:00.
WEDNESDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2023:
Standing Committee on Finance: Consideration and adoption of the committee report and clause-by-clause deliberations on the Public Procurement Bill [B18 – 2023], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00.
Standing Committee on Appropriations: Briefing by the Department of Basic Education and four provincial departments on the 2023 Adjustments Appropriation Bill [B34-2023], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00.
Portfolio Committee on Police: Adoption of the committee report on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Amendment Bill [B21–2023]; Consideration of the First Draft of the committee’s Legacy Report and the committee’s Annual Report; Members will also deliberate further on the second quarter crime statistics of the 2023/24 financial year (July to September 2023) and consider the SAPS Addendum to the Annual Performance Plan of 2023/24, Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-14:00.
Standing Committee on the Auditor-General: Briefing by the Auditor-General on 2022-23 PFMA General Report, Hybrid Meeting (Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament & Virtual Meeting Platform), 09:00-14:00.
Standing Committee on Public Accounts: Briefing update by the Road Accident Fund’s Annual Report on the audit outcomes and the committee findings; Briefing by the SIU regarding its RAF investigation, Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-14:00.
Select Committee on Finance: Public hearings on the 2023 Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill, 2023 Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (TLAB) and 2023 Tax Administration Laws Bill (TALAB)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00.
THURSDAY, 30 NOVEMBER 2023:
Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament: Update on the restoration of the buildings affected by the January 2022 fire on the precinct: briefings by the Secretary to Parliament and/or the Development Bank of Southern Africa; Consideration and adoption of committee minutes and reports, Virtual Meeting Platform, 17:00-19:00.
FRIDAY, 1 DECEMBER 2023:
Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Appropriations and Select Committee on Appropriations: Public Hearings on 2023 MTBPS, 2023 Adjustments Appropriation Bill and 2023 Eskom Debt Relief Amendment Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00.
Select Committee on Health and Social Services: Briefing by the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities on the National Council on Gender-based Violence and Femicide Bill [B31B-2022] Section 75; Briefing by the Department of Social Development on the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples rights on the rights of older persons in Africa; Consideration and Adoption of Committee Minutes, Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00.
Select Committee on Finance: Responses by National Treasury on submissions received during public hearings on the 2023 Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill, 2023 Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (TLAB) and 2023 Tax Administration Laws Bill (TALAB), Virtual Meeting Platform, After Select Committee on Appropriations meeting.
For the latest full schedule of committee meetings (updated regularly), please click: https://www.parliament.gov.za/storage/app/media/Docs/zlist/8a8caed9-0304-4824-acc1-fd695d8eb041.pdf
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
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