The endgame of the current Parliament is fast approaching. As a result, loose ends are gradually being knitted together, negotiations are ramping up and decisions are being made on what business to finalise or forego.

In terms of Parliament’s Rules, business before the legislature lapses when its term ends, or when it is dissolved.

When a bill or another matter lapses, the new Assembly can, by way of a motion in the House, revive the matter. Such motions sometimes state that the matter be revised “from the stage it reached on the last sitting day of the House (of the previous House)….”

Question Time is one of the ways Parliament scrutinises the work of government and holds it accountable. Many of the questions touch on bread-and-butter issues and/or high-temperature business and the responses are generally newsworthy. An interesting part of the exercise is how the questions are structured as MPs simultaneously try to get their talking points across and ask a question.

On Wednesday, the select Ministers in the Social Services Cluster will appear in the National Assembly to answer oral questions.

The NA Chamber will consider two condolence motions for Ms Alice Mthembu and Ms Violet Siwela on Tuesday. The House’s plenary programme will conclude on Thursday where it has scheduled two virtual mini-plenary sessions.

Elsewhere, at the NCOP’s sitting on Wednesday, delegates will debate the 2023 Provincial Week oversight report and consider the Expropriation Bill.

Beyond this, both houses are expected to consider the report on the 2024 Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals.

Away from Parliament, the National Assembly Speaker will lead a parliamentary delegation to the Women Speakers' Summit to be held in Paris.

Meanwhile, 5 Finance MECs will deliver their provincial budget speeches this week. See here. Provinces are responsible mainly for implementation in line with the nationally determined framework. Provincial departments therefore have large budgets for implementing government programmes, while the national departments have a relatively small share for their functions.

In addition, ecveryone will also be keeping a close eye on the Elections TimeTable. Friday is the cutt-off for the submission of candidates lists.

 

The Committee corridor is the site of several important meetings. Here is a rundown of the highlights:

TUESDAY, 5 MARCH 2024

Joint Meeting: 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 2024 Budget (Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Parliamentary Budget Office of the following Bills: 2024 Division of Revenue Bill; 2024 Second Adjustments Appropriation (2023/24 Financial year) Bill; 2024 Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account Defrayal Amendment Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, (National Assembly), [Committee capacity building on Content Moderation, Elections Integrity/ Product Snapshot (Meta Inc and other Media Platforms); Briefing by Postbank on ICT modernisation and SA Reserve Bank variation orders; Adoption of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, (National Assembly), [Engagement with the Office of the Auditor-General of South Africa on the 2021-2022 Material Irregularities in local government – (Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs – National Assembly)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Minister of Home Affairs and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) on the progress made in the implementation of the Ministerial Committee on the issuance of permits and visas (the Lubisi Report); Briefing by the Minister of Home Affairs and the Government Printing Works (GPW) on the progress made in the implementation of the Ministerial Review Panel Report on the loss of data at GPW], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the DALRRD on the Framework and implementation of the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA); Briefing by SALGA on SPLUMA implementation challenges and pathways to a better spatial planning and land use management in South Africa], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, (National Assembly), [Continuation of deliberations on the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill [B23 – 2023]], Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, (National Assembly), [Continuation of deliberations on the National Nuclear Regulator Amendment Bill [B25 – 2023]], Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 14:00-18:00

Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, (National Assembly), [Consideration of and Engagement on the SAHRC Report on the Investigation and Inquiry into School Uniforms and the Over-regulating of Appearances (Eastern Cape), 2022 as referred to the PC on Basic Education (ATC 161 – 2023, dated 17 November 2023); Consideration and Adoption of: Draft Committee Legacy Report; Draft Minutes: Tues, 27 February 2024], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-12:30

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Progress in resolving the implementation of IFMS], Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:30-13:30

WEDNESDAY, 6 MARCH 2024

Ad Hoc Committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill, (National Assembly), Presentation of the Public Participation Report by the Content Advisors; Input by the Parliamentary Legal Advisor on the public hearings, and the constitutionality process; Consideration and adoption of the Public Participation Report; Consideration and adoption of outstanding minutes], Committee Room M201, Second Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 08:00-13:00

Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Financial and Fiscal Commission on the following Bills: 2024 Division of Revenue Bill; 2024 Second Adjustments Appropriation (2023/24 Financial year) Bill; 2024 Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account Defrayal Amendment Bill], Committee Room S35, First Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [Capital Works with SAPS and DPWI, including Minister Annual], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) on: Update on state of governance in the higher education sector; Overall performance of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) during the 6th administration], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, (National Assembly), [Clause-by-clause on the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill [B23 – 2023]; Consideration and adoption of the Committee report on the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill [B23 – 2023]], Committee Room 1, Upper Ground Floor, 90 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, (National Assembly), [Continuation of deliberations on the National Nuclear Regulator Amendment Bill [B25 – 2023]], Committee Room 1, Upper Ground Floor, 90 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 14:00-18:00

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 (National Planning Commission) on the Ten-Year Review of the National Development Plan], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, (National Assembly), [Report on the investigative analysis into the enablers and inhibitors of job performance of the senior management service in the public sector by the Public Service Commission; Briefing by the National School of Government on the progress regarding the Implementation Strategy and Monitoring Framework of the National Framework Towards Professionalising the Public Sector; Briefing by the Department of Public Service and Administration in efforts to institutionalise the Implementation and Monitoring Plan of the National Framework Towards Professionalising the Public Sector; Consideration and adoption of the previous Committee minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, (National Assembly), [Briefing by Department of Mineral Resources and Energy on the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill 2023 [B25-2023], and briefing by Eskom on the implications of the Bill on the Company], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, (National Assembly), [Follow up meeting on the evidence submitted to the Parliamentary Legal Advisor on the allegations of irregularity on the SAA transaction], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 14:00-17:00

Select Committee on Security and Justice, (National Council of Provinces), [Committee consideration and adoption of the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill [B29B-2023] S75; Committee consideration and adoption of the Committee Report on the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill [B29B-2023] S75; Committee deliberations on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Amendment Bill [B21B-2023] S75; [PROVISIONAL] Committee consideration and adoption of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Amendment Bill [B21B-2023] S75; [PROVISIONAL] Committee consideration and adoption of the Committee Report on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Amendment Bill [B21B-2023] S75], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00


THURSDAY, 7 MARCH 2024

Ad Hoc Committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill, (National Assembly), [Responses by the State Security Agency (SSA) on the matters emanating from the public inputs], Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 08:00-10:00
Joint Standing Committee on Defence, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the DFSC on its mid-year performance and expenditure; Update by the Defence Secretariat on the status of the development of the Future Strategic Direction; Consideration of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:00-21:00

FRIDAY, 8 MARCH 2024

Ad Hoc Committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill, (National Assembly), [Inputs by the Parliamentary Legal Advisor on the responses from the SSA], Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 08:00-10:00

Ad Hoc Committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill, (National Assembly), [Formal consideration and deliberations on the Bill by the Committee], Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 10:15-17:00

Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Briefing on progress made on the restoration of buildings destroyed by the 2022 fire on the parliamentary precinct and related matters], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, (National Assembly), [Discussion on SABC SOC Ltd Bill [B32 – 2023] (s75)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Select Committee on Finance, (National Council of Provinces), [Responses by National Treasury on submissions received during public hearings on the Public Procurement Bill and consideration of bill clause by clause], Virtual Meeting Platform, 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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