COVID-19: Parliamentary Oversight & Discussions
The Corona virus outbreak is having a significant and unprecedented effect across the global. As a result, countries have resorted to extraordinary measures to combat this grave public health emergency.
As the virus became more prominent, Parliament held debates and meetings to discuss its impact.
National Assembly: Plenary Sitting Debate - 5 March 2020
Portfolio Committee on Health
National Health Insurance (NHI) Pilot Evaluation; Coronavirus response; with Minister - 4 March 2020
Portfolio Committee on Police
Coronavirus; SAPS Quarterly Reports (Q1, 2 and 3) follow-up; IPID Head Appointment Update; with Deputy Minister - 4 March 2020
Portfolio Committee on Tourism
Coronavirus & implications for tourism sector: Chinese Consul-General briefing; National Registrar of Tourist Guides on compliance with legislation & other programmes - 25 February 2020
Portfolio Committee on Basic Education
ICT Roll-Out: Department of Basic Education briefing; Coronavirus measures - 17 March 2020
The country was placed on lockdown, with massive restrictions in place, including the closure of non-essential businesses. According to the President, this action was required “to prevent a human catastrophe of enormous proportions in our country”.
The Regulations gave enormous (and necessary) powers to the Executive. Initially, the Legislature, suspended its business until further notice, issued several statements supporting the Government’s interventions and did not want to interfere while it implements the extraordinary measures.
Parliament eventually decided to resume business and scrutinise government emergency powers to deal with coronavirus, as concerns about unchecked executive power grew.
It prioritised a schedule of virtual committee meetings, whose scope of oversight relates to government departments driving COVID-19 response measures. View the schedule for upcoming meetings
The NCOP hosted a special Virtual Ministerial Briefing on Covid-19 on 26 May 2020. The Ministers of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (see presentation) and Health (see presentation) briefed all members of the NCOP on the work of government to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. Watch Proceedings
Portfolio Committee on Health
COVID-19 Update: Engagement with Minister, Deputy Minister, NICD & MECs - 10 April 2020
COVID-19 Update & Government Response: Minister & Department briefing - 27 April 2020 (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Health and Social Services)
Health Budget: Committee Report; Ministry/Department of Health on Covid-19 update - 28 May 2020 (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Health and Social Services)
Adhoc Committee on COVID-19 (WCPP)
Election of Chairperson - 17 April 2020
COVID-19 Situational Report: briefings by WC Premier & WC MEC of Health - 22 April 2020
Food Security: MECs & SASSA Western Cape briefings - 24 April 2020
Department of Community Safety and Police Ombudsman on Western Cape COVID-19 issues - 29 April 2020
Protection of the vulnerable during lockdown: SAPS, SASSA, UIF, DSD inputs - 30 April 2020
Policing, Security & Police Brutality: SAPS, IPID, DCS & SANDF - 05 May 2020
Disaster management & local government oversight: MECs & WC Disaster Management Input - 13 May 2020
Economic Recovery, Support & Livelihoods: MECs briefings - 15 May 2020
Transport & Infrastructure: MECs briefing - 20 May 2020
Government Finance and Budgets/Cooperative Governance: MECs briefing - 22 May 2020
Citizen Surveillance for COVID-19 tracking and tracing - 27 May 2020
Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water & Sanitation (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Water and Sanitation and Human Settlements)
Briefing by Minister on impact of COVID-19 and initiatives undertaken by the Department to address this - 21 April 2020
Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs
Minister & Deputy on Disaster Management Regulations and their amendments - 21 April 2020
Role of local government in combating spread of COVID-19 virus: SALGA briefing - 28 April 2020
Stimulus package to municipalities: Department briefing - 30 April 2020
Cape Town, Johannesburg & eThekwini Municipalities on plans to combat the spread of COVID-19 virus - 14 May 2020 (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Water and Sanitation and Human Settlements)
Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science & Technology (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Education and Recreation, Sport, Arts and Culture)
Minister on plans to save 2020 academic year; .DHET 2020/21 Annual Performance Plan - 14 May 2020
Joint Standing Committee on Defence
SANDF deployment & involvement in COVID-19 measures; Complaints against SANDF during lockdown; with Minister - 22 April 2020
Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour)
Briefing by Minister & Department on experiences, challenges and future plans with regards to COVID-19 - 22 April 2020
UIF operations during Covid-19 period: Department briefing - 01 May 2020
DEL 2020/21 APP; PES & SEE response to COVID-19; with Minister & Deputy Minister - 07 May 2020
Select Committee on Appropriations
Division of Revenue Bill: National Treasury, Financial & Fiscal Commission (FFC) & Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) briefings - 22 April 2020
Portfolio Committee on Social Development (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Social Services)
DSD COVID-19 response and challenges (incl food security programmes, GBV programmes and services for homeless people) - 23 April 2020
Standing Committee on Finance
COVID-19 Disaster Tax Bills: National Treasury & SARS briefing - 23 April 2020 (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Finance)
Fiscal Implication of COVID-19 & intervention by government to stimulate the economy: National Treasury briefing; with Minister & Deputy - 30 April 2020 (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Finance, Standing Committee on Appropriations and Standing Committee on Public Accounts)
Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs
DHA services rendered during COVID-19; with Minister & Deputy Minister - 28 April 2020 (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Security and Justice)
Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour)
Financial Support Interventions provided to small business during COVID- 19 lockdown - 28 April 2020
Portfolio Committee on Basic Education (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Education and Technology, Sports, Arts and Culture)
Status of Schooling during COVID-19 Lockdown: Department briefing - 29 April 2020
COVID-19 Update & DBE 2020/21 Annual Performance Plan; with Ministry - 5 May 2020
Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services
Measures taken by Department to deal with COVID-19; with Minister & Deputy Ministers present - 29 April 2020 (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Security and Justice)
Measures taken by Department to deal with COVID-19: continuation; with Minister & Deputy Minister - 04 May 2020 (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Security and Justice)
COVID-19 impact on judiciary; OCJ & Information Regulator 2020/21 APPs; with Deputy Minister of Justice - 12 May 2020
DCS& JICS 2020/21 Annual Performance Plans; with Deputy Minister & COVID-19 Matters - 20 May 2020
Portfolio Committee on Transport (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure)
Minister on implementation of Covid-19 regulations - 30 April 2020
Portfolio Committee on Police
Police management of COVID-19 lockdown: SAPS briefing; with Minister & Deputy Minister present - 29 April 2020 (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Security and Justice)
Follow-up meeting on police management & misconduct during COVID-19 lockdown; with Minister & IPID - 08 May (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Security and Justice)
Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry
Minister on Government’s response to potential negative impact of COVID-19 on economy & measures to mitigate against this - 01 May 2020 (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Industry Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour)
CIPC & NCR’s contribution to government’s COVID-19 response; 3rd Quarter Report of DTI and EDD- 12 May 2020
IDC & NEF on their contribution to government's COVID-19 response - 13 May 2020
Competition Commission & NCC's contribution to government's COVID-19 response - 19 May 2020
DTIC on COVID-19 measures as it pertains to its mandate; with Deputy Ministers - 22 May 2020
Minister on COVID-19 measures as it pertains to the DTICs mandate; DTIC Budget: Committee Report - 26 May 2020
Technical infrastructure institutions' contribution to government's COVID-19 response; DTIC Budget: Committee Report - 28 May 2020
Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure
Properties earmarked as quarantine facilities for COVID19 patients; Report on the Beitbridge fence erection project - 04 May 2020
Standing Committee on Auditor-General
Auditor-General role during COVID-19 disaster & audit delays - 22 May 2020
Portfolio Committee on Tourism (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour)
Minister of Tourism on impact of COVID-9 pandemic to Tourism Industry & mitigating measures initiated by Department - 04 May 2020
Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture
Department & entities 2020/21 Annual Performance Plan: AGSA briefing; COVID-19 Relief Fund; with Deputy Minister - 05 May 2020
Department of Sport, Arts and Culture on COVID 19 relief fund: Follow up - 20 May 2020 (Select Committee on Education and Technology, Sports, Arts and Culture)
Standing Committee on Appropriations
Appropriation Bill: Human Sciences Research Council briefing; COVID-19 Update - 06 May 2020
FFC on fiscal impact of COVID-19 & suggestions for adjustments budget - 26 May 2020
Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Public Enterprises and Communications)
SAA, Eskom and Transnet COVID-19 impact: update by Minister & CEOs - 06 May 2020
Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry & Fisheries
South African Weather Service & SANBI 2020/21 Annual Performance Plans; with Ministry; COVID-19 Update - 07 May 2020
Portfolio Committee on Communications
GCIS Communication Strategy on COVID-19; with Ministry in the Presidency - 08 May 2020
Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy
DMRE on its response to Covid-19, including regulations thereof - 26 May 2020 (Joint meeting with Select Committee on Land Reform, Environment and Mineral Resources and Energy)
About this blog
"That week in Parliament" is a series of blog posts in which the important Parliamentary events of the week are discussed.
We host the latest posts of this blog, written by People's Assembly. You can find more on PA's blog.
About this blog
"That week in Parliament" is a series of blog posts in which the important Parliamentary events of the week are discussed.
We host the latest posts of this blog, written by People's Assembly. You can find more on PA's blog.