Parliament, Sunday, 15 March 2026 – On Tuesday in the National Council of Provinces, Ministers in the Social Services Cluster (2C), including the Ministers of Water and Sanitation as well as Human Settlements, will appear for oral questions at 14:00. Among the matters to be addressed by the Minister of Water and Sanitation are flood damage and a cost analysis, ring-fencing of municipal infrastructure grants, the national recovery plan, and vandalism at water treatment works and reservoirs.
The Minister of Human Settlements will respond to questions on stalled housing projects, the national housing backlog and collaboration with traditional leadership, among others.
Also on Tuesday, the National Assembly will hold a plenary sitting at 14:00 featuring debates marking Human Rights Day under the theme “Celebrating 30 years of the Bill of Rights as a sovereign and free constitutional Republic”, as well as a debate on International Women’s Day.
Other items on the agenda include a motion to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to review and amend the Parliamentary Villages Management Board Act, as well as consideration of a draft resolution from Sihle Lonzi on the need for a parliamentary inquiry into the state of post-secondary education in South Africa.
On Wednesday, the NA will hold a plenary sitting at 15:00, during which an oral question-and-answer session with ministers in the Governance Cluster (3) is scheduled. The cluster includes the Minister in the Presidency, and the ministers of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Public Service and Administration, and the Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.
The ministers will respond to various matters affecting their respective departments. The question papers are available on Parliament’s website through this link.
In the NCOP on Wednesday, the House will hold a debate on Human Rights Day under the theme: “Deepening a culture of social justice and human rights.” The House will also consider legislation and committee reports.
On Thursday morning at 08:30, the day kicks off with the programming committees of both Houses meeting to plan the business of Parliament. The meetings will, among other things, consider the draft programmes of the two Houses, receive committee reports and consider the bills before each House.
At 12:00, Chairpersons of committees in the Peace and Security Cluster will hold a media briefing and stakeholder engagement on matters affecting the cluster. The Chairpersons expected to address the briefing are Mr Phiroane Phala, Chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, Ms Jane Mananiso, Chairperson of the Select Committee on Security and Justice, Mr Ian Cameron, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police and Mr Dakota Legoete, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans. The briefing will take place at the Parliament Library.
Also on Thursday at 14:00, the Deputy President, Mr Paul Mashatile, will appear before the NA to respond to questions from Members of Parliament. The question paper for this session will be shared as soon as it becomes available. The agenda for this sitting will also include a debate on a matter of urgent national public importance, sponsored by Mr Mmusi Maimane, under the theme: “Escalating crisis in the Middle East following the recent US attack on Iran and the implications this has for South Africa.”
At the same time, the NCOP will convene a plenary sitting for questions to ministers in the Social Services Cluster (2D). The cluster comprises ministers of Science, Technology and Innovation, as well as Sport, Arts and Culture. Among the matters to be addressed by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation are the misuse of artificial intelligence, leveraging funding for health innovation, the employment of foreign nationals, postgraduate support programmes, and the Green Hydrogen National Programme. The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture will respond to questions on the monitoring of investments in sports infrastructure, the availability of sports facilities in rural and township schools and the recognition of South African Sign Language as an official language, among other matters.
OVERSIGHT VISITS
Also happening this week are oversight visits by some parliamentary committees.
The Portfolio committee on Agriculture will undertake an oversight visit to the Free State from 16 to 20 March 2026 to assess government interventions aimed at controlling and managing the spread of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the province. The committee will also evaluate the capacity of veterinary and animal health services and oversee the rollout and distribution of FMD vaccines. From 17 to 20 March, the Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition will undertake an oversight visit to the Eastern Cape, during which Members will visit the East London Industrial Development Zone and the Coega Special Economic Zone. The visit is to assess efforts to expand manufacturing, promote economic development and job creation, and support the decentralisation of industry across provinces.
Following the Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana’s tabling of the 2026 Division of Revenue Bill in February, Parliament’s Standing Committee on Appropriations will conduct public hearings on the Bill. This important Bill sets out how nationally raised revenue will be divided among national, provincial and local government to fund public services such as healthcare, education, housing, infrastructure and municipal services. The public hearings will provide stakeholders and members of the public with an opportunity to make oral or written submissions on the Bill.
This week, there are over 30 committee meetings scheduled, which include, among others:
TUESDAY, 17 MARCH 2026
Portfolio Committees on Home Affairs: Briefing by the Department of Home Affairs, Counter Corruption and Security Services (CC&SS), and the Multidisciplinary Task Team on measures being implemented to address corruption within the department. Briefing by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on the Interim Report regarding corruption within the Department of Home Affairs. Committee Room 3043, Third Floor, 90 Plein, 09:00 – 13:00
Portfolio Committee on Health: Briefing by Dr Kgosi Letlape on the Private Member’s Bill: Parliamentary and Provincial Medical Aid Scheme Amendment Bill (B25-2025). Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:00 – 20:30
Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration: Departmental and parliamentary legal service responses to Negotiating Mandates on Public Service Commission Bill. Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:30 – 10:00
Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration: Briefing by the South African Human Rights Commission on the state of service delivery in selected municipalities in North West, as released in November 2025. Virtual Platform, 10:00 – 13:00
Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: Briefing by the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Department of Social Development, Department of Basic Education and National Treasury on the Implementation of the Sanitary Dignity Programme. Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00 – 13:00
Portfolio Committee on Tourism: Briefing by Airbnb on their short rental model, compliance with applicable legislation and successes and challenges. Briefing by the Department of Tourism on the framework for regulating the sharing economy (Short-Term Rentals Framework). Consideration and adoption of draft minutes. Virtual Platform Meeting, 09:00 – 13:00
Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies: Briefing by ICASA and Competition Commission on the regulatory conditions, public-interest obligations and compliance requirements imposed as part of the final approval of the following transactions: The acquisition of MultiChoice Group by Canal+ and the merger between Maziv and Vodacom. Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00 – 13:00
Joint Meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Finance. Consideration of the first draft of the Committee report on the 2026 Budget (Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals). M314, Third Floor, Marks Building. 10:00 – 13:00
Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment: Briefing on the Progress Update on Marine Protection and Governance Phakisa. Briefing on the state of coastal water quality and compliance with coastal waters discharge permits in the 2025/26 financial year, including a breakdown of the discharge zones within each province or district and associated volumes. Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30 – 13:00
WEDNESDAY, 18 MARCH 2026
Joint Meeting of the Select Committee on Public Infrastructure and Minister in the Presidency and Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration: Briefing by the Department of Water and Sanitation on expenditure patterns and interventions instituted in respect of Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) transfers for the 2025/26 financial year. Briefing by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on expenditure patterns and interventions instituted in respect of Municipal Infrastructure Grants (MIG) transfers for the 2025/26 financial year. Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00 – 13:00
Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration: Briefing by the Public Service Commission on the first to third quarter performance of the 2025-2026 financial year. Briefing by the Centre for Public Service Innovation on the first to third quarter performance of the 2025-2026 financial year. Briefing by the Department of Public Service and Administration on the first to third quarter performance of the 2025-2026 financial year. Consideration and adoption of the previous committee minutes. Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00 – 13:00
Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour: Briefing by the Department of Employment and Labour on the Third Quarterly Performance Report of the following entities in meeting their Strategic Objectives in 2025/26: Compensation Fund and Unemployment Insurance Fund. Consideration of Draft Minutes of 11 March 2026 and Final update/details on the Study Tour. Zoom Virtual Platform, 09:00
FRIDAY, 20 MARCH 2026
Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment: Stakeholder engagement: FishSA, AquacultureSA, Small-scale Fisheries and Recreational Fishers. Physical Meeting.
Joint Standing Committee on Defence: Engagement with the Reserve Force Council on the development of the Reserve Force and its perceived future roles. Consideration of outstanding minutes. Parliament, Committee Room M514, Marks Building, 09:00 – 12:00
Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements: Follow up with the Free State Department of Human Settlements and Matjhabeng Municipality on the progress made on recommendations made during the oversight visit to the province. Follow up on Breede Valley, Stellenbosch and Strand Petitions. Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00 – 13:00
Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration (Traditional Affairs, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation): Tabling of final mandates on Public Service Commission Bill and adoption of committee report on the object of the Public Service Commission Bill. Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00 – 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
Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo, Parliament Spokesperson
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