The week ahead

Parliament sees a full programme of parliamentary sittings and portfolio committee meetings this week. Highlights include questions to Ministers in the Social Services Cluster as well as to the President.

Parliamentary Programme

Tuesday, 7 March 2023

• 14:00 – ±17:00 PLENARY (HYBRID)
  1. Consideration of Report of PC on Transport on Marine Pollution (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment Bill [B 5 – 2022]
  2. Second Reading: Marine Pollution (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment Bill [B 5 – 2022]
  3. Consideration of Report of PC on Transport Appeal Tribunal Amendment Bill [B8 – 2020]
  4. Second Reading: Transport Appeal Tribunal Amendment Bill [B 8B – 2020]
  5. Decision of Question on Draft Resolution (Mr A M Shaik Emam) on call for downgrading of the South African embassy in Israel until such time Israel respects the rights of Palestinians
  6. Debate on International Women’s Day: A year of decisive action to advance women’s rights in South Africa, Africa and the World

Wednesday, 8 March 2023

• 15:00 – ±19:30 PLENARY (HYBRID)
  1. Questions for Oral Reply: Cluster 2 (Social Services)
  2. Consideration of Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals, 2023 and of Report of Standing Committee on Finance thereon

Some of the more noteworthy questions that will be posed to Ministers include:

Question by Mr S S Zondo (IFP) to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation:

(1) With reference to the decision by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to cap accommodation allowances that has caused university students across the Republic to once again have a difficult start to the academic year, and considering everything that is happening at tertiary institutions like Mfolozi College at the Sikhawini campus, what steps is his department taking in order to correct and calm down the current situation at tertiary institutions;

(2) whether, considering the challenges encountered by the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation during oversight visits, he had a meeting with NSFAS as recommended by the specified committee; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details of the outcome of the meeting?

Dr W J Boshoff (FF Plus) to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation:

(1) Whether a full socio-economic investigation was conducted before land valuation for servitudes needed by the Square Kilometre Array, in addition to land that had been purchased; if not, why not, if so, what are the findings of the investigation;

(2) whether the specified findings were taken into account when calculating the percentage of land value as compensation to landowners; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Question by Ms E L Powell (DA) to ask the Minister of Human Settlements:

Whether she directed any funds from the budget of her department, including apportioned provincial and municipal human settlements grants in any of the financial years towards the development of the Smart City (details furnished) since it was announced by the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa, in his 2019 State of the Nation Address; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what is the (a) total expenditure from her department’s budget in this regard and (b) estimated time of completion?

Thursday, 9 March 2023

• 14:00 – ±17:00 PLENARY (HYBRID)Questions to the President 

Some of the more noteworthy questions that will be posed to the President include:

Question by The Leader of the Opposition (DA) to ask the President of the Republic:

Whether, notwithstanding his first State of the Nation Address in 2018 in which he noted the importance of securing the full involvement of the community in the fight against crime and that it is at the local level that crime is most effectively combatted, the murder rate has, however, increased by 40% from 56 to 82 murders in each day on average under his watch, he will consider the fact that international best practice shows that policing is more effective when it is brought closer to the people and considered as part of the social compact which is now 295 days late, to include as one of the measures, devolving the policing functions as permitted in terms of sections 99 and 206 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Question by Mr J S Malema (EFF) to ask the President of the Republic:

Whether, since his reply to oral question 3 on 17 March 2022, in which he acknowledges that crime statistics remain stubbornly high and following the publishing of the third quarter crime statistics by the Minister of Police, Mr B H Cele, which shows that crime across the board is escalating in the Republic, he is still confident that the Minister and National Commissioner of Police, both of whom he has appointed to lead the Government’s fight to rid the Republic of crime, are competent and able to do so; if not, what steps does he intend to take in this regard; if so, what is the basis for his confidence?

Two Committee Meetings of interest this week:

On Tuesday, the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, (National Assembly) will be briefed on the progress regarding the Knoflokskraal site, in Grabouw.

Since 2020, there has been a dispute between National Government and the Khoisan community occupying the land, which is located in the Elgin Valley, in Grabouw. While the land is situated on National Government owned land, there is a land claim by occupiers claiming land rights as indigenous Khoisan people. The briefing will focus predominantly on the eviction process, the land claims and the negotiations between government entities and community representatives in the Knoflokskraal area.

On Wednesday, the Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly) will be briefed on police recruitment and training, including selection, alleged corruption, condition of training facilities and capacity of training staff/trainers.

This is of interest particularly after the recent crime statistics released by the South African Police for the third quarter of 2022/23, covering October to December 2022 showed an increase in all violent crime categories including 7,555 murders recorded for the period, averaging 82 murders every day. Given this increase plans to better capacitate the police to respond to and investigate crime is of critical importance as well as rooting out corruption within the South African Police Service.

Committee Programme

Tuesday, 7 March 2023

• Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Finance, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Consideration and adoption of committee report on the Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00
• Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Comment by the Financial and Fiscal Commission on the 2023 Division of Revenue Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00
• Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Central Energy Fund (CEF) on their 1st, 2nd and 3rd Quarterly Performance Reports for 2022/23], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:30
• Portfolio Committee on Transport, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Road Accident Fund (RAF) on its 2020/21 Annual Report; Consideration and adoption of minutes of proceedings], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:00
• Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, (National Assembly), [Progress report by DALRRD on the previous SONA pronouncements; Consideration and adoption of outstanding minutes of the committee], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00
• Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, (National Assembly), [Public hearings on the Constitution Eighteenth Amendment Bill [B1 – 2023]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30
• Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, (National Assembly), [Continuation of the briefings on the First and Second Quarterly Reports for 2022/23 financial year: SANParks; iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority; and Follow–up briefing on the progress regarding the Knofloskraal site, in Grabouw; Leadership of Knofloskraal, DFFE, DPWI, SAPS, Theewaterskloof Local Municipality, Human Rights Commission], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-15:00
• Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Progress in resolving matters regarding the implementation of the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) by the National Treasury], Committee Room M314, Third Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:30-13:00
• Portfolio Committee on Tourism, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Tourism on First and Second Quarter Performance Report for 2022/23 financial year; Consideration of minutes], Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:00
• Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour, (National Council of Provinces), [Public hearings on Performers Protection Amendment Bill [B 24D – 2016] and Copyright Amendment Bill [B 13D – 2017], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-17:00

Wednesday, 8 March 2023

• Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the DPWI and PMTE on the 2020/21 Third Quarter performance], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00
• Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Comment by the Parliamentary Budget Office on the 2023 Division of Revenue Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00
• Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure, (National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the Department of Transport on the National Road Traffic Amendment Bill [B7B – 2020 (s76)]; Briefing by the Department of Transport on the National Land Transport Amendment Bill [B 7F – 2016] sec (76)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00
• Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [Police Recruitment and Training, including selection, alleged corruption, condition of training facilities and capacity of training staff/trainers; Adoption of Committee Report on Petitions; Adoption of the Committee`s 2023 Annual Performance Plan], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00- 13:00
• Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the NCR and the NCT on their first and second quarter financial and non-financial performance for the 2022/23 financial year], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:30
• Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on Legal Practice Regulations], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30
• Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development, (National Assembly),[Briefing by the Department of Small Business Development on the implementation of the Co-operatives Act as amended and Regulations as well as update concerning ongoing discussions with the sector representative towards the creation of an Apex organisation; Consideration and Adoption of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30- 13:00
• Select Committee on Public Enterprises and Communication, (National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment on its role in managing and/or dealing with Safcol’s partnership with successful land claimants regarding reaching an amicable solution], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00- 13:00
• Select Committee on Security and Justice, (National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the Department of Justice and Correctional Services on the submissions on the Land Court Bill [B11B – 2021] (Sec 75); Briefing by the Department of Justice and Correctional Services on the Repeal of the Transkeian Penal Code Bill [B34-2022] (National Assembly – sec 75); Committee consideration and adoption of the Report of the Joint Proactive Oversight Visits by the Select Committee on Security and Justice, and the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Water and Sanitation and Human Settlements to Free State Province], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

FRIDAY, 10 MARCH 2023

• Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Comments by South African Local Government Association and Department of Co-operative Governance on the 2023 Division of Revenue Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00
• Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, (National Assembly), [Discussions with the Ministers of Justice and Correctional Services and Public Works an Infrastructure on challenges identified during oversight visits to courts and correctional centres], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30
• Standing Committee on Auditor-General, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Auditor-General on the nature of the current 327 MIs reported in its Annual Report. This is in line with requirements of the PAA as amended; Briefing by the Researcher and Secretariat about the proposed study tour; Consideration, adoption of minutes and Consideration of correspondence], Committee Room 1, Upper Ground Floor, 90 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 09:30-13:00