The constituency period beckons, with MPs due to depart at the end of the week and return to Parliament on 8 October 2024. But a fair amount of work will be done before they go, and there is plenty of opportunity for excitement.

In the National Assembly chamber, the week opens with a ministerial statement during Tuesday’s sitting. Government Ministers may make oral statements to Parliament, which usually address major incidents, government policies or actions. Each political party is allowed an opportunity to respond to such a statement. The Minister of Water and Sanitation will update the nation on measures taken by the Department on Dam Safety.

At the same sitting, lawmakers will consider two draft notices and schedules determining the salaries, allowances and benefits payable to the Auditor-General and IEC Commissioners.

Select Ministers in the Economics Cluster will be in the spotlight during their oral question-and-answer session on Wednesday. View questions here

Thursday’s lengthy and varied session will be a point of interest. The NA has scheduled a debate on an urgent matter of national public importance: the recent decision by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) to grant Eskom's application to retrospectively recover R8 billion for the 2021/2022 financial year. In addition, the traditional debate to mark Heritage Day will take place. Finally, MPs will consider notices and schedules determining the salaries, allowances and benefits payable to Constitutional Court judges and other judges, the magistrates, the Public Protector and Deputy Public Protector and the Commissioners of the Human Rights Commission.

Meanwhile, it is Provincial Week in the NCOP. This is one way to ensure that NCOP delegates keep in touch with developments and challenges facing their provinces, assess progress in delivering services to citizens, and contribute to addressing challenges facing their communities. The overarching theme for this week is "Confronting the Challenges Facing the Timely Delivery of Viable Public Infrastructure to Communities. “

According to Parliament: “The NCOP delegates, together with their provincial legislature counterparts, will spend the week conducting oversight visits to infrastructure projects including bulk water supply plants, roads upgrades, and water treatment plants”.

These oversight sessions will involve officials and managers from affected districts and provincial and national government departments.

Beyond this, the upper House has arranged a plenary sitting on Thursday where the Deputy President will appear for his oral question-and-answer session. Amongst other, he will field questions about extortion, service delivery and land reform. View questions here

Away from Parliament, the NCOP Chairperson will lead a five-member multiparty parliamentary delegation to the Sitting of the Permanent Committees of the Pan-African Parliament in Johannesburg from 16 to 20 September.

The NA Speaker will attend the Conference of Speakers and Heads of African Parliaments, which will take place from 18 to 20 September 2024 on the sidelines of the sittings of the PAP Permanent Committees.

In Committee-land, there is a wide range of meetings that will generate a lot of headlines. Here is a rundown of the highlights:

TUESDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2024

Standing Committee on Finance, (National Assembly), [Briefing by National Treasury and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) on the draft 2024 Tax Bills covering the following: 2024 draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (2024 draft TLAB); 2024 draft Revenue Laws Amendment Bill (2024 draft RLAB); 2024 draft Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill (2024 draft TALAB); 2024 draft Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill (2024 draft Rates Bill); 2024 draft Global Minimum Tax Bill; and 2024 draft Global Minimum Tax Administration Bill], Venue to be confirmed, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Basic Education on the 1^st Quarterly Performance Report of the Department of Basic Education in Meetings its Strategic Objectives 2024/25; Briefing on a Preliminary Report on National Senior Certificate Examinations 2024 Readiness by: DBE; Umalusi; Consideration and Adoption of Draft Minutes (03/09/2024 and 10/09/2024) + Complaints-Dashboard], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-12:30

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Auditor-General of South Africa on the Financial Performance of: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA); South African Airways (SAA)], Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-14:00

Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Water and Sanitation on the progress report of the Giyani Bulk Water Project and progress report of the Bucket Eradication Programme in the Northen Cape and Free State Provinces; Consideration and adoption of the Committee Report on the Fourth Quarter Expenditure Report - 2023/24 financial year; First Quarter Expenditure Report - 2024/25 financial year and Municipal Debts to Water Boards], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00

Portfolio Committee on Transport, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) on its 2024/25-2026/27 Corporate Plan; Briefing by the Department of Transport on the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of South Africa and Kenya on Transport-Related Matters; Briefing by the Department of Transport on the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Republic of Uganda on Transport-Related Matters; Consideration and adoption of draft Committee fourth term programme; Consideration and adoption of minutes of proceedings], Committee Room S26, First Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 09:30

Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, (National Assembly), [Progress Report by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and the National Prosecuting Authority on TRC matters (including payments to beneficiaries); Briefing by the Parliamentary Legal Services on the processing of the Protection of State Information Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30

Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Minister of Home Affairs and the Department of Home Affairs on the policy on White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection; Briefing by the Minister of Home Affairs and the Department of Home Affairs on the implementation of the Vulindlela recommendations on aspects related to the Department of Home Affairs; Update on the provincial public hearings on the Marriage Bill; Briefing on the Committee’s Third Term Programme 2024; Consideration and adoption of the minutes], Committee Room 2, Upper Ground Floor, 90 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 10:00-12:30

Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, (National Assembly), [Briefing the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) on its turnaround performance plan following performance decline in Quarter 2 of 2023/24 financial year; Briefing by Business Rescue Practitioners on SAPO Day Zero and mitigating plans; Deliberation and adoption of report on the notice and schedule determining the rate with effect 1 April 2023 and 1 April 2024 at which salaries, allowances and benefits are payable to members of ICASA. (referred ATC 9 July 2024); Adoption of the DCDT and GCIS Third and Fourth Quarter Expenditure Reports; Adoption of outstanding minutes], Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:00

Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Financial and Fiscal Commission and the National Treasury on the review of the provincial equitable share formulae; Consideration and adoption of Minutes dated 27 August & 04 September 2024], Venue to be confirmed, 10:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services, (National Assembly), [(10:00-12:30) Briefing by the National Council for Correctional Services (NCCS): General overview of the Council including Structure; functions; backlog in processing lifers and plans to address the backlog; (12:30-13:30) Committee Internal Session: Consideration and adoption of draft oversight report and draft minutes; Consideration of draft programme for oversight visit and the draft third term programme], Committee Room 1, Ground Floor, 120 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:30

Subcommittee on the Review of the National Assembly Rules, [Consideration of matters referred by the Rules Committee], Good Hope Chamber, Ground Floor, Good Hope Building, Parliament, 16:30 (After the National Assembly adjourns)


WEDNESDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER 2024

Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, (National Assembly), [Briefing/Presentation on the Impact and Implications of Budget Cuts and Declaration of Posts by all nine Provincial Education Departments (PEDs); Consideration and Adoption of Outstanding Draft Minutes and Draft Reports], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:30-14:00

Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [Briefing by South African Police Service (SAPS) on intervention Plan to combat extortion], Finance and Fiscal Commission, Good Hope Chamber, Ground Floor, Good Hope Building, Parliament, 09:00-12:30

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Auditor-General of South Africa on the Financial Performance of: Road Accident Fund (RAF); Briefing by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on Investigations Conducted at: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA); Road Accident Fund (RAF)], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-14:00

Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Public Protector South Africa on Report No. 1 of 2024: Systemic Investigation into Administrative Deficiencies relating to Gender Based Violence within the South African Justice System], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30

Portfolio Committee on Health, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Health on the status of unclaimed bodies in State Mortuaries; Response by the Department of Health on the Health Market Inquiry Report; Consideration and adoption of minutes; Consideration and adoption of the Committee Programme], Committee Room 1, Ground Floor, 120 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 09:30-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Electricity and Energy, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Minister of Electricity and Energy and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy on the Solar Water Heater Programme and future plans for the programme; Consideration and adoption of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Public Service Commission on tabled report, namely: Public Service Reforms Towards Professionalisation: A Public Service Commission Perspective; and Framework Towards Professionalising the Public Sector and its implementation plan], Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:00

FRIDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2024

Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition, (National Assembly), [Briefing on the African Union’s Start-up Model Law Framework], Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:00

Powers and Privileges Committee, [Induction of members of the Powers and Privileges Committee], Committee Room M515, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:00

Committees provide a platform for the public to present views directly to MPs. Share your thoughts, on-the-ground experience and expert information with the relevant committees. Critically, what questions should MPs pose to the Executive as they conduct their oversight work? Write to a Parliamentary Committee

View the schedule page here.

The schedule is subject to frequent changes and needs to be checked daily.

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