It's the final week of the parliamentary term for the National Assembly. National Council of Provinces (NCOP) delegates will sit for several more weeks and commence their constituency break on 22 April 2025.

Both Houses will consider the fiscal framework and revenue proposals on Wednesday. The framework establishes economic policy and revenue projections and sets the overall limits for government spending. This instrument must be passed first before any of the budget bills are considered.

Previous budgets were approved without any changes, and the ANC did not rely on other parties. However, the narrow margins mean that parties must work together to pass the budget.

Given the current contestations and debates about the 2025 budget, Parliament has an important role in guiding how the fiscal framework is considered. While indicating the VAT increase as a revenue source, the fiscal framework is a policy document and does not legally mandate the tax. The Rates Bill is the legal mechanism for enacting VAT increases and other tax rate changes.

Even if the budget bills are not approved by 1 April, the beginning of the financial year, the Public Finance Management Act permits government to continue withdrawing from the National Revenue Fund within specified limits.

Beyond this, the NA is set to hold a debate on Human Rights Day on Wednesday titled "Deepening a Culture of Social Justice and Human Rights."

Before they depart, their final chamber business will be a question-and-answer session with select ministers in the Economics Cluster Ministers on Thursday.

The NCOP is scheduled to hold two debates this week. On Tuesday, delegates will debate  unlocking South Africa's economic potential under the theme "Removing barriers to investment, innovation, economic growth and job creation." The following day, the debate is on South Africa's Energy Stability under the theme "Taking Decisive Measures to Permanently End Load Shedding and Strengthen ESKOM's Operational Resilience." The debate is sponsored by the MK Party.

There is a further sitting on Thursday to consider committee reports.

There are several interesting meetings scheduled in the Committee corridor. Below are the highlights:

TUESDAY, 01 APRIL 2025

Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies (National Assembly), [Presentation on State Digital Infrastructure Company by the Department and the related stakeholders: COGTA, Eskom, Transnet, PRASA and SANRAL. Briefing by the DCDT on the progress update with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) on the Country's Satellite Space Program. Adoption of Oversight Report to Gauteng, Adoption of minutes.], Good Hope Chamber, Good Hope Building,10:00 – 13:00

Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [Gang -related Violence and Extortion Dialogue in the Western Cape (Joint Programme with PC on Police and SC on Security and Justice] S35, First floor, NCOP Building, 10:00-17:00

Joint meeting with Standing Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Finance (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Consideration and adoption of the Committee report on the Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals], Virtual meeting platform, 09:00-12:00

Subcommittee on the Review of the Assembly Rules, [Special meeting to discuss Rules for the Money Bills and Related Matters Act (2025)], Good Hope Chamber, Good Hope Chamber Building, 14:00

PC on Agriculture, (National Assembly), Progress on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement and the Agriculture and Agroprocessing Master Plan (AAMP) by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC), Consideration and adoption of the Oversight Visit Report to North West Province and the outstanding minutes, Boardroom 3/116, Third Floor, 90 Plein Street, 9:30-14:00

Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs (National Assembly) [Committee deliberation, consideration, and adoption of the report on Political Party Funding regarding upper limits and disclosure thresholds for political parties, independent candidates, and independent representatives. Briefing by the Minister of Home Affairs and the Department on ongoing network challenges, the measures taken to resolve them, and an update on the roll-out of self-service kiosks and implementation status. Briefing by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on their diagnostic report concerning the Department's network infrastructure and service delivery performance]. Meeting Virtual Platform 17:00 – 18:30.

WEDNESDAY, 02 APRIL 2025

Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (National Assembly),  Joint briefing by the National Treasury and the DOD on its engagements to develop a new Human Resources strategy to ensure force rejuvenation in accordance with the 6th Parliaments PCDMV recommendation, Update on plans by the DOD to establish Memoranda of Understanding with other government departments to assist with exiting SANDF members to aid the new Human Resources strategy] Parliament, S35, NCOP Building, 10:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training (National Assembly), [Briefing National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) and National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) on challenges of workers in the post-school education and training (PSET) sector.], Committee Room M201, Second floor, Marks Building, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Social Development (National Assembly; [Presentation by Mr Isaac on a petition for an urgent call to increase the social grant for pensioners.  Briefing by SASSA and DSD in response to a petition from Mr Isaac requesting an urgent call to increase the Social Grant for Pensioners; Consideration and adoption of minutes] Zoom Virtual Platform: 09:00 – 13:00

FRIDAY, 04 APRIL 2025

Joint Standing Committee on Defence (National Assembly), [Briefing by the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) on all outstanding annual and quarterly reports, Update on the Directorate Conventional Arms Control (DCAC) electronic permit application system rollout, Consideration of outstanding minutes.], Zoom Virtual Platform, 9:00-12:00

Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Briefings by the Parliamentary Budget Office on its: mandate and functions (09h00-13h00); and 2023/24 Annual Report.], Good Hope Chamber, Ground Floor, Good Hope Building, 09:00 – 18:00

Joint meeting with Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, Portfolio Committee Basic Education, (National Assembly), [Update on schools' connectivity.], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00 – 13:00

During the constituency period, MPs have a duty to: be available to the public, help solve problems and report back to their constituents on what is happening in Parliament.

NA CONSTITUENCY PERIOD: 7 – 17 APRIL

NCOP CONSTITUENCY PERIOD: 22 APRIL – 5 MAY

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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