The following plenaries have been programmed to take place this week:

TUESDAY, 22 NOVEMBER 2022

14:00 – ±18:30 PLENARY (HYBRID)

1. Members’ statements
2. Consideration of Report of Standing Committee on Finance on General Laws (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing) Amendment Bill [B 18 – 2022]
3. Second Reading debate: General Laws (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing) Amendment Bill [B 18B – 2022]
4. Consideration of Supplementary Report of PC on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities on Suitable candidates for filling of vacancies in the Commission for Gender Equality
5. Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report of Portfolio Committee on Communications on Government Communication and Information System and Media Development and Diversity Agency
6. Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report of PC on Sport, Arts and Culture
7. Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report of PC on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development on Vote 29
8. Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports of PC on Defence and Military Veterans on:
9. 2021/22 annual reports of Armaments Corporation of South Africa and Castle Control Board
10. 2021/22 Annual Report of Department of Military Veterans
11. 2021/22 Annual Report of Department of Defence

WEDNESDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2022

15:00 – ±18:00 PLENARY (HYBRID)

Questions for oral reply: Cluster 5: Economics

THURSDAY, 24 NOVEMBER 2022

14:00 – ±16:00 PLENARY (HYBRID)

1. Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report of PC on Human Settlements
2. Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report of PC on Basic Education on Performance of Department of Basic Education for 2021/2022 financial year
3. Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report of PC on Trade, Industry and Competition
4. Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports of PC on Higher Education, Science and Innovation on:
5. Performance of Department of Science and Innovation for 2021/2022 financial year
6. 2021/22 Annual Report of Department of Higher Education and Training and entities
7. Consideration of Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports of PC on Justice and Correctional Services on:
8. Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, National Prosecuting Authority, Information Regulator, Legal Aid South Africa, Special Investigating Unit, South African Human Rights Commission and Public Protector
9. Department of Correctional Services
10. Office of the Chief Justice

1.1.          Committee Programme

Three committee meetings of interest this week:

On Tuesday, The Portfolio Committee on Transport (National Assembly) will meet with the Passenger Rail Association of South Africa (PRASA) on the recovery of mainline train services. Transport Minister, Mr Fikile Mbalula announced earlier this year that PRASA’s capital transfers will increase from R12.6bn in 2022-23 to R13.5bn in 2024-25, with government persisting in its efforts to restore South Africa’s vandalised commuter network.  

Last Month, PRASA’s strategy GM Anna-Marie Lubbe announced that the SOE is not amidst a recovery or a rehabilitation process, but is instead engaged in a total rebuild. Lubbe further added that PRASA is building the commuter rail system corridor by corridor, prioritizing those lines carrying the most commuters first.  Cape Town’s central line and the Mapobane line in Gauteng have experienced severe levels of destruction, with substations vandalized and telecommunications systems destroyed. As of October, 15 out of 40 of PRASA’s lines were in operation, in addition to only 10% of the SOE’s trains running. Passenger trips on South Africa’s trains have decreased from an average of 49 million per month in 2008, to 1.8 million in 2021.

On Tuesday, the Portfolio Committee on Tourism, (National Assembly) will be briefed by South African Tourism on the process of the merger of SA Tourism and Brand South Africa, introduction of the new board of South African tourism, timeframes on the policy review process and reasons for delays.

In August this year, President Ramaphosa submitted his approval for the merger of Brand SA and SA tourism, enabling the two entities to collaborate as one under the Tourism ministry. Brand SA, the country’s official marketing and reputations management, has a mandate to manage South Africa’s brand reputation to increase global competitiveness. The Cabinet Lekgotla of January 2020 directed that government entities should be rationalised and repurposed. Part of this entailed departments with entities that have similar mandates being requested to work together.

In the previous committee meeting, The Department of Tourism was not permitted to make its presentation on the progress of the merger by the Portfolio Committee on Tourism due to the absence of Minister Sisulu. The Committee agreed to invoke sections of the constitution in order to force the Minister to appear before it. Reports further outline that the committee was disgruntled that Brand SA was advertising calls for board members when the merger had not yet been completed.

On Friday, there will be a joint meeting between The Portfolio Committee’s on Mineral Resources and Energy, Home Affairs and Police (National Assembly) on the consideration and adoption of the joint illegal Mining report.

The growing illegal mining operations in the country are a grave concern to the wider mining industry. A large degree of the focus of illegal mining has been on abandoned mines and shafts that are no longer in operation, however there are instances where illegal miners have also attempted to take over existing mines. The South African economy and mining sector are estimated to have lost around R49 billion in 2019 alone due to illegal mining operations.

Government recently announced that a specialised cooperative unit is being set up to deal with the increase in illegal activity, with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and South African Police Services working closely in order to establish the unit. Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe says that the unit is expected to be multi-disciplinary and will utilize skills from other departments.

MONDAY, 21 NOVEMBER 2022

Select Committee on Security and Justice, (National Council of Provinces), [Committee deliberation on the Electoral Amendment Bill [B 1B – 2022] (S75)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

Select Committee on Appropriations, (National Council of Provinces), [Consideration of negotiating mandates on Division of Revenue Amendment Bill [B22-2022]; Consideration of draft Minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 16:00

TUESDAY, 22 NOVEMBER 2022

Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Free State Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs on the status of implementing the Maluti-A-Phofung SEZ; Briefing by the Free State Economic Development Agency on the status of the Botshabelo and Phuthaditjhaba Industrial Parks], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Standing Committee on Finance, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the National Treasury and formal ratification of the Agreement of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Tourism, (National Assembly), [Briefing by South African Tourism (SAT) on the following matters: First and Second Quarter Performance Report of 2022/23 financial year; International work done by Ministry, Department and South African Tourism; The process of merger of SA Tourism and Brand South Africa; Introduction of the new Board of South African Tourism and the process followed; and Timeframes on the policy review process and reasons for the delays; Consideration of draft minutes], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department on the Cultural and Creative Industries Masterplan adopted by Cabinet with input from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition; Consideration and adoption of the Committee minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Transport, (National Assembly), [Meeting with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) on the recovery of mainline train services; Deliberations on the Marine Pollution (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment Bill B5-2022]; Consideration and adoption of minutes of proceedings], Committee Room M314, Third Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy (National Assembly), [Responses by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy on the written submissions relating to the Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Bill [B13 – 2021]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Select Committee on Finance, (National Council of Provinces), [Responses by National Treasury and SARS on the submissions received on Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill (TALAB) and the Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (TLAB), and Rates bill; Consideration of the bill clause by clause], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00

WEDNESDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2022

Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the DPWI, DBSA and National Treasury on the working relationship; impact on organograms of each institution; and oversight responsibilities emerging from their 17 August 2020 memorandum of understanding to manage], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the NCC on its 2021/22 Annual report and its 2022/23 first quarter performance], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Briefing by Department of Public Enterprises and Transnet Holdings SOC Limited on the 2022 Special Appropriation Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, (National Assembly), [Briefing by Department of Public Enterprises on the mid-term performance report of the department and state-owned companies; Consideration and adoption of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00

Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure, (National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation on its Annual Report 2021/2022], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

FRIDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2022

Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Appropriations and Select Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Public Hearings on the following: 2022 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement; 2022 Adjustments Appropriation Bill; and 2022 Special Appropriation Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) / Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) on Commercialisation of innovations by youth entrepreneurs: focus on the Grassroots Innovation Programme and Technology Acquisition and Deployment Fund; Consideration of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Joint Meeting: Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs and Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [Consideration and adoption of the joint Illegal Mining report], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, (National Assembly), [Consideration and adoption of the Motion of Desirability; Deliberations on the National Forest and Veld Fire Amendment Bill (clause by clause deliberations)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 14:00-17:00

Select Committee on Finance, (National Council of Provinces), [Consideration and adoption of the committee reports on the Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill (TALAB) and the Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (TLAB), and Rates bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 17:00-20:00