Week ahead in Parliament: A new Deputy President, but the same questions on South Africa’s challenges
Parliament sees a full programme of parliamentary sittings and portfolio committee meetings this week. Highlights include questions to the Deputy President, as well debates on Draft Resolutions to establish ad hoc committees to conduct inquiries into matters surrounding the Phala Phala game farm controversy , as well as alleged widespread corruption at Eskom.
- Parliamentary Programme
WEDNESDAY, 22 MARCH 2023
15:00 – ±19:30 PLENARY (CAPE TOWN CITY HALL)
- Draft Resolution (Mr J S Malema): Removal of the Speaker from office in terms of Section 52(4) of the Constitution and National Assembly Rule 28
- Draft Resolution (The Chief Whip of the Opposition): Establishment of an ad hoc committee to conduct an inquiry into matters surrounding the Phala Phala game farm theft with specific reference to the involvement and response of the various government departments and agencies in the alleged cover-up of the crime
- Debate on Human Rights Day: Consolidating and sustaining human rights culture into the future
THURSDAY, 23 MARCH 2023
14:00 – ±19:00 MINI-PLENARY SESSIONS (VIRTUAL)
- Questions to the Deputy President
Some of the noteworthy questions include:
Question by Mr S Luzipo (ANC) to ask the Deputy President:
What financial and technical interventions, including the reduction of debt owed by municipalities, is Government making to restore Eskom as a going concern that is able to reduce load shedding to facilitate inclusive economic growth and job creation?
Ms NV Mente (EFF) to ask the Deputy President:
Whether the unanswered questions arising from the break-in and theft at the Phala Phala farm of the President, Mr MC Ramaphosa, the findings of the South African Revenue Service that the money stolen at the farm was not declared upon entering the Republic and the recommendations contained in the Report of the Section 89 Independent Panel, serve to undermine the Government’s efforts to combat crime and corruption; if not, what is the Government’s position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
- Consideration of Report of Standing Committee on Appropriations on Division of Revenue Bill [B2 – 2023] (s76(1))
- Second Reading debate: Division of Revenue Bill [B2 – 2023] (s76(1))
- Consideration of Report of Standing Committee on Appropriations on Second Adjustments Appropriation (2022/23 Financial Year) Bill [B4 – 2023]
- First Reading debate: Second Adjustments Appropriation (2022/23 Financial Year) Bill [B4 – 2023] (s77)
- Second Reading: Second Adjustments Appropriation (2022/23 Financial Year) Bill [B4 – 2023]
- Decision of Question on Draft Resolution (The Leader of the Opposition) on Establishment of an ad hoc committee in terms of Rule 253 to inquire into the full extent of the alleged widespread corruption and unabated operations of criminal networks and cartels at Eskom.
Two Committee Meetings of interest this week:
On Wednesday, the Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly) will be briefed on the implementation of the Rural Safety Strategy, including successes, challenges, capacitation of rural police stations and crimes predominately affecting rural areas. This briefing follows the recent release of the third quarter crime statistics which revealed violent crimes across all contact categories have increased.
In addition to the above committee meeting, there will also be a Portfolio Committee on Social Development, (National Assembly), which will provide a briefing by the Department of Social Development on the Policy on Linking of Social Grant Beneficiaries to Government Services. This comes after a dire few months where beneficiaries of the Child Support Grant, Old Age Pension and Disability Grants have been increasingly turned away from SASSA pay-points largely due to payment systems glitches.
1.2. Committee Programme
WEDNESDAY, 22 MARCH 2023
- Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, (National Assembly), [Briefing by Public Service Commission on Implementation of the PSC recommendations; Adoption of the Sub-Committee report on the recommended Candidate selected to serve as Commissioner at the Public Service Commission; Consideration and adoption of the Oversight Programme for Northern Cape and Free State Provinces 28 – 31 March 2023; Consideration and adoption of the minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:30-13:00
- Standing Committee on Finance, (National Assembly), [Public hearings on the Financial Matters Amendment Bill [B20 – 2022] and the Municipal Fiscal Powers and Functions Amendment Bill [B21 – 2022]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-14:00
- Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [Implementation of the Rural Safety Strategy, including successes, challenges, capacitation of rural police stations and crimes predominately affecting rural areas], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00
- 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 Social Development, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Social Development on the Policy on Linking of Social Grant Beneficiaries to Government Services; Adoption of minutes], Zoom Virtual Platform, 09:00-13:00
- Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Public Works & Infrastructure (DPWI) and Property Management Trading Entity (PMTE) on the 2023/24 Annual Performance Plans; Briefing by the Agreement SA on its 2023/24 Annual Performance Plan; Briefing by the Council for the Built Environment (CBE)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00
- Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Independent Development Trust (IDT) on its 2023/24 Annual Performance Plan; Briefing by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) on the 2023/24 Annual Performance Plan], Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:00-21:00
- Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development, (National Assembly), [Briefing on 2022/23 Quarter Three Performance Reports by the Department of Small Business Development; Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) and Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda); Consideration and Adoption of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00
- Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour, (National Assembly), [Budget Review – Nedlac and the Productivity SA on their Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00
- Portfolio Committee on Health, (National Assembly), [Deliberations on the Parliamentary Legal Advisor and the State Law Advisor’s inputs], Venue to be confirmed, 10:00-13:00
- Select Committee on Security and Justice, (National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the Parliamentary Legal Advisor on the tagging of the Land Court Bill; Committee deliberation on the submissions to the Land Court Bill [B11B – 2021 (S75)]; Briefing by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on the Repeal of the Transkeian Penal Code Bill [B34-2022] (National Assembly – S75)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 14:30-16:30
FRIDAY, 24 MARCH 2023
- Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, (National Assembly), [Briefing on the State of Environment Report: DFFE; Other key stakeholders; Identify the stakeholders that would like to make an input; Briefing on the State of Fisheries Report: DFFE; Other key stakeholders; Oral submissions on Climate Change Bill [B9-2022]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-16:00
