Parliament, Sunday 15 March 2020 – An intense programme is expected this week at Parliament, ahead of Members of Parliament embarking on a constituency period from 23 March to 13 April.
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will be in Gauteng from tomorrow for Parliament's flagship programme, Taking Parliament to the People. The programme, which ends on Friday, is scheduled to include site visits and public meetings to look into progress made since 2018 on the “Impact of migration – deepening co-operative governance for accelerated service delivery and development”.
At Parliament in Cape Town, the National Assembly (NA) is scheduled to hold plenary sittings on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. These sittings are scheduled to deal with six legislative issues, a debate on Human Rights Day and two oral question and answer sessions.
One of these questions for oral reply sessions is scheduled to feature Deputy President David Mabuza. The other one is scheduled to feature four Cabinet Ministers in the Governance Cluster. The sessions are one of the ways in which Parliament exercises its constitutional responsibility of scrutinising and overseeing executive action.
Tuesday’s plenary sitting, starting at 14.00 and ending at around 18.40, is scheduled to consider the Recognition of Customary Marriages Amendment Bill, the Judicial Matters Amendment Bill, the Prescription in Civil and Criminal Matters (Sexual Offences) Amendment Bill and draft notices and schedules determining the rates at which salaries are payable to magistrates and judges.
Rounding off Tuesday’s NA sitting is a debate on Human Rights Day, with the theme: “The year of unity, socio-economic renewal and nation-building”.
On Wednesday, the NA is scheduled to hold an oral question and answer session with Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister in the Presidency Mr Jackson Mthembu, Minister of Public Service and Administration Mr Senzo Mchunu and Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
Wednesday’s sitting is also provisionally scheduled to consider the 2020 Division of Revenue Bill. Minister of Finance Mr Tito Mboweni tabled the Bill on 26 February when he delivered the 2020 Budget Speech to Parliament. The Bill provides for equitable division of funds raised nationally among the national, provincial and local spheres of government for a particular financial year.
On Thursday, the NA plenary sitting is scheduled to hold an oral question and answer session with Deputy President Mabuza.
There are 33 parliamentary committee meetings scheduled for this week. They include:
TUESDAY
Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology: Briefing by University of Zululand, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University and University of Fort Hare on their state of affairs
Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development: Briefing by Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development on Project Kuyasa and on status of old-order claims
Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs: Colloquium with the religious sector on the regulation of harmful religious practices (also scheduled to continue on Wednesday)
Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs: Briefing by Department of Home Affairs on implementation of Immigration & Refugees Amendment Acts and Regulations; briefing by the Government Printing Works on its annual report for the 2018-19 financial year
Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: Briefing by Sonke Gender Justice on research conducted on gender based violence and safety and security of women and young girls in relation to public transport in Western Cape and Gauteng
Standing Committee on Appropriations: Consideration and adoption of committee’s draft report on Division of Revenue Bill [B3-2020]
WEDNESDAY
Portfolio Committee on Police: Progress report on Firearm Amnesty, expired licence and renewal of firearms; consideration of Commission for Gender Equality Report: Investigative Report on State of Shelters in South Africa; consideration of Human Rights Commission Reports (Report of the National Investigative Hearing into the Status of Mental Health care in South Africa; Lack of Safety and Security Measures in Schools for Children with Disabilities)
Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy: Briefing and update by Central Energy Fund and PetroSA on their turnaround strategies
Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans: Feedback from Department of Defence on deployment of SA National Defence Force in the Western Cape; briefing by the Auditor-General on Interim Management Audit Report
For the latest full schedule of committee meetings (updated regularly), please click: https://www.parliament.gov.za/parliament-programme
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo
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