This Week in Parliament
This week in Parliament, all eyes will be on the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Cyril Ramaphosa, scheduled for Thursday, 6 February 2025. The President will deliver his address to a Joint Sitting of Parliament at the Cape Town City Hall, outlining the government’s key policy objectives, achievements, and interventions for the year ahead.
In addition to SONA, key committee meetings will address pressing economic, security, and infrastructure issues. On Tuesday, the Trade and Industry and Finance Committees will engage the banking sector on competition, credit provision, and transformation, while the Defence Committees will receive a briefing from the Minister and SANDF Chief on the security situation in the Eastern DRC and ongoing deployments. Other important discussions include the state of readiness for the 2025 school year, correctional services’ handling of foreign nationals, and water boards’ medium-term business plans.
Further engagements will cover the infrastructure projects of the Department of Correctional Services, the reclaiming of land under the Integrated Coastal Management Act, and the impact of G20 imperatives on Africa’s ICT sector. The Agriculture Committee will hear from the Human Rights Commission on the health risks of pesticides, while also engaging the Minister on the Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) facility, pesticide contamination in food products, and the separation of Agriculture from Land Reform and Rural Development.
On Wednesday, the Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade will focus on EU import restrictions on South African citrus, assessing their impact on exports. Additional sessions will include a status report on a cyber-attack at the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), a briefing on the Public Works property portfolio, and a resolution to subpoena the University of Limpopo regarding outstanding responses.
On Friday, the Joint Standing Committee on Defence will consider its first-term programme, receive a briefing from the Military Ombud, and discuss the extension of employment for deployed forces.
Committee Programme
TUESDAY, 04 FEBRUARY 2025
- Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry and Standing Committee on Finance, (National Assembly), Meeting with the Standing Committee on Finance to engage the banking sector on competition, the provision of credit for productive activities, and transformation, Good Hope Chamber, 10:00-17:00
- Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services, (National Assembly), Briefing by the Department of Correctional Services on infrastructure projects including progress on the Memorandum of Understanding on Infrastructure Projects with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, Progress on Baviaansport and Modderbee Correctional Centre Kitchen Projects, Briefing by the Department of Correctional Services on the incarceration of foreign nationals in their facilities and the number of bed spaces available in correctional centres, S26, 1st floor, NCOP, 10:00
- Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, (National Assembly), Consideration and adoption of the First Term Programme; Adoption of the previous minutes; Briefing by the Parliamentary Legal Services and the DFFE on the proposed reclaiming of land for purposes other than state infrastructure, particularly Sections 7C(4) through (8) of the Integrated Coastal Management Act; and, Briefing by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment including the Marine Living Resources Fund on their First and Second Quarter Reports for the 2024/25 financial year., Training Room, 6th Floor Foretrust Building, Foreshore, 10:00 -14:00
- Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, (National Assembly), Engagement with DBE on 2025 State-of-School Readiness (incl. ECD, LTSM, NSNP + Scholar Transport), Consideration of Draft Minutes and Draft Reports, Virtual meeting platform, 09:30 – 12:30
- Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (National Assembly), Briefing by the Commission for Gender Equality on research report pertaining to learner pregnancy and progress report on implementation of recommendations, Briefing by the Gender Commission for Gender Equality on 2nd and 3rd Quarterly reports, Virtual meeting platform, 09:00-13:00
- Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology & Innovation (National Assembly), Briefing by the DSTI on the 2024/25 Second and Third Quarter Financial and Non-financial Performance Reports, including progress with implementation of the Audit Action Plan. Presentation to include the revisions to the 24/25 APP as tabled. Virtual meeting platform, 09:30 – 12:00
- Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts, (National Assembly) and the Select Committee on Education , Sciences and Creative Industries (National Council of Provinces), Consideration and adoption of the draft First Term Programme for 2025; Consideration and adoption of committee minutes (29 November and 04 December 2024 ; Tabling of names for the Advisory Panel for the National Council for Library and Information Services (NCLIS); Briefing by the Department of Co operative Governance and Traditional Affairs on the allocation, distribution, and implementation of the Municipal Infrastructure Grant., S12A, Ground floor, NCOP Building, 09:30 -12:45
- PC on Agriculture, (National Assembly), Briefing by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on the ongoing challenges and potential solutions related to the use of pesticides and their impact on public health and the environment. Engagement with Minster of Agriculture on the progress regarding matters relating to the Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP), update on investigations undertaken regarding the source of the agricultural pesticides that contaminated food products from spaza shops including regulatory measures implemented by the Department to prevent the misuse of restricted and banned agricultural remedies and progress regarding the process to separate the Department of Agriculture and Department of Land Reform and Rural Development; and on the development of the Strategic Plan for Agriculture; update regarding the employment of Assistant Agricultural Practitioners (AAP). Presentation by the Animal Law Project on animal welfare and the development of the Animal Welfare Bill. Briefing by the Department of Agriculture on the citrus farmer projects in the Eastern Cape. Tabling, consideration and adoption of the 2025 Committee First Term PC Programme. Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, 09:30 – 16:30
- Select Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Mineral Resources, (National Council of Provinces), Workshop with the Auditor General to discuss the Audit Outcomes of the various State Entities within the purview of the departments over which the committee conducts oversight, Consideration and Adoption of Minutes., Virtual meeting platform, 10:00-16:00
- Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs (National Assembly), Briefing by the Parliament Budget Office (PBO) on the study conducted on the possible amounts of limit for donations and threshold disclosure for donations to fund political parties, independent candidates and independent representatives., Virtual meeting platform, 10:00-13:00
- Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation (National Assembly) Briefings by Amatola Water; Magalies; Rand Water and Lepelle Northern Water Boards on their Business Plans over the medium term including reflections on achievements and challenges during the 2019-2024 term, Virtual meeting platform, 09h00 – 13h00
- Portfolio Committee on Defence & Military Veterans and Joint Standing Committee on Defence (National Assembly), Briefings by the Minister on Defence and the Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) on the security situation in the Eastern DRC and the status of situation of the SANDF soldiers deployed as part of the various international and regional deployments in the area. Parliament, S12A, Ground floor, NCOP Building, 13:00-16:00
WEDNESDAY, 05 FEBRUARY 2025
- Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, (National Assembly), Briefing by the SABS on its amended/revised APP and 2nd quarter financial and non-financial performance for the 2024/25 financial year, Status report on SABS response to the Cyber-attack on its IT system, M515, 5th floor, Marks Building, 09:30-13:00
- Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, (National Assembly), Briefing by the DPWI, DPSA and National Treasury on the business model of a properly operationalized 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 minutes, M201, 2nd floor, Marks building, 09:30-12:30
- Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade (National Council of Provinces) Briefing by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition regarding progress made on import restrictions imposed by the European Union (EU) to the importation of citrus imports, which has a direct negative impact to the South African exports to the EU. Briefing by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition on progress made towards ratification of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Inputs by NCOP Procedural Officer on petition. Consideration and adoption of minutes. M314, 3rd Floor, Marks Building, 10:00 – 13:00
- Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training (National Assembly) Consideration of the resolution to subpoena the University of Limpopo to submit outstanding responses from the meeting of 20 November 2024, Virtual meeting platform, 09h00 – 10h00
FRIDAY, 07 FEBRUARY 2025
- Joint Standing Committee on Defence (National Assembly), Consideration of JSCD 2024 First Term Programme, Briefing by the Office of the Military Ombud on its 2023 Annual Activity Report, Feeback on the implementation status of Memoranda of Understanding between the Military Ombud and the DOD, Consideration of Letter of Extension of Employment dated 24 December 2024, Consideration of outstanding minutes. Parliament, Committee Room M46, Ground floor, Marks Building, 10:00-13:00
Tablings
- Annual Report of the Regulating Committee for Airports Company South Africa SOC Limited (ACSA) and Air Traffic and Navigation Services SOC Limited (ATNS) for the period 2018/2019.
- Annual Report of the Regulating Committee for Airports Company South Africa SOC Limited (ACSA) and Air Traffic and Navigation Services SOC Limited (ATNS) for the period 2019/2020.
- Annual Report of the Regulating Committee for Airports Company South Africa SOC Limited (ACSA) and Air Traffic and Navigation Services SOC Limited (ATNS) for the period 2021/2022.
- Revised Annual Performance Plan of the Road Accident Fund for 2024/25.
- Reports and Financial Statements of the Competition Commission of South Africa for 2023-24, including the Reports of the Auditor General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2023-24.
- Integrated Report and Financial Statements of the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa SOC LTD (ECIC) for 2023 24, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2023-24.
Legislation
Assent to Bills
- Housing Consumer Protection Bill [B10D–2021] – Act No. 25 of 2024
- Marine Pollution (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment Bill [B5– 2022] – Act No. 36 of 2024
- Preservation and Development of Agricultural Land Bill [B8B 2021] – Act No. 39 of 2024
Calls for Comments
- National State Enterprises Bill – Submissions can be emailed to Ms Mandy Balie at nsebill@parliament.gov.za by no later than Friday, 14 February 2025
- Taxation of Alcoholic Beverages – Written comments can be sent to 2024Alcoholreview@treasury.gov.za by close of business on Friday, 14 February 2025
- Central register for tracking dismissals and disciplinary cases across government – Comments can be emailed to Dr. Salomon Hoogenraad Vermaak at salomonh@dpsa.gov.za and Ms Pleasure Mashego at pleasure.matshego@dpsa.gov.za by no later than Sunday, 23 February 2025
- Discussion Paper 168: Project 94 – Comments can be emailed to Mr Pierre van Wyk at pvanwyk@justice.gov.za and Dr Dellene Clark at dclark@justice.gov.za by no later than Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Government Gazette
- National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act: National Elephant Heritage Strategy in South Africa: Comments invited
- Standards Act: Standards matters: Comments invited – Comment by 29 Mar 2025
- Disaster Management Act: Classification of national disaster: Impact of severe weather in country
- Road Accident Fund Act: Adjustment of statutory limit in respect of claims for loss of income and loss of support from 31 January 2025
- Fertilizer, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act: Application for derogation for the restricted use of agricultural remedies identified as substances of concern: Comments invited
- Fertilizer, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act: Application for derogation for the restricted use of agricultural remedies identified as substances of concern: Comments invited
- Banks Act: Regulations: Amendments
- Housing Act: White Paper for Human Settlements
- Standards Act: Standards matters: Comments invited – Comment by 31 Mar 2025.
- International Trade Administration Act: Sunset review of anti dumping duties on clear float glass of 2.5mm or more but not exceeding 6mm originating in or imported from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates