Health
National Assembly Committee
About this committee
Oversight responsibility of Health Portfolio Committee
The Health Portfolio Committee is responsible for oversight of the Department of Health (DOH) as well as the following statutory entities:
Allied Health Professions Council
Compensation Commissioner for Occupational Diseases
Council for Medical Schemes (CMS)
Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA)
Interim Traditional Health Practitioners Council
National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS)
Office of Health Standards Compliance
South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)
SA Health Products Regulatory Authority
The Committee is mandated to:
- consider, amend and/or initiate legislation that is specific to, or impacts on Health.
- consider and review the strategic plans and budgets of the Department and its entities.
- monitor and oversee the activities, financial and non-financial performance of the Ministry and its entities.
- monitor and oversee the implementation of the Department’s policies and legislation
- consider sector-related international treaties and agreements; and
- provide a platform for the public to participate and present views on specific topics and/or legislation in relation to the health sector.
Learn more about the work of this Committee: Legacy Reports
The role and functions of Committees in Parliament
In accordance with the powers given to it by the Constitution, the National Assembly establishes a range of committees with assigned powers and functions.
There is a portfolio committee for each corresponding government department. A committee deliberates on bills covering the department’s area of jurisdiction and scrutinises and report on its annual budget and strategic plan. As the people’s representatives, Members of the committees determine whether government departments are delivering on what they promised and whether they are spending the public money they receive in a responsible manner. As part of their oversight work, committees may also do site visits where they find out directly from the people at ground level whether the government is delivering on its promises.
If a committee reports on a matter and makes certain recommendations, that report will be debated in a full sitting or plenary to give other Members of the House an opportunity to engage with the content of the report. Once the report has been debated, the House decides whether to adopt the committee’s recommendations. The House may also decide only to note the report, or it may refer the report back to the committee with an instruction to do further work.
Committee Membership
Committee membership is distributed among the parties roughly in proportion to the seats they get in Parliament, so if a party wins 20% of the seats, its MPs will occupy about 20% of committee positions
NA Committee are comprised of 11 Members. The composition is as follows: ANC (5); DA (3); MK (2); EFF (1) & other parties (4). The four largest parties were given permanent positions, and the 14 other parties are grouped together to share the remaining slots.
Read more: Committees in the Seventh Parliament: Critical Forums for Oversight
Working in Committees allows Parliament to:
- Increase the amount of work that can be done
- Ensure that issues can be debated in more detail than in plenary sessions
- Increase the level of participation of Members of Parliament (MPs) in discussions
- Enable MPs to develop expertise and in-depth knowledge of the specific Committee's area of work
- Provide a platform for the public to present views directly to MPs, something which is not possible in a plenary sitting of Parliament
- Provide an environment for Parliament to hear evidence and collect information related to the work of a specific Committee
Powers
Rule 167 of the National Assembly Rules (9th Edition) say that for the purposes of performing its functions committee may, subject to the Constitution, legislation, the other provisions of these rules and resolutions of the Assembly:
- Summon any person to appear before it to give evidence on oath or affirmation, or to produce documents
- Receive petitions, representations or submissions from interested persons or institutions
- Permit oral evidence on petitions, representations, submissions and any other matter before the committee
- Conduct public hearings
- Consult any Assembly or Council committee or subcommittee, or any joint committee or subcommittee
- Determine its own working arrangements
- Meet at a venue determined by it, which may be a venue beyond the seat of Parliament
- Meet on any and at any time, including on a day which is not a working day; on a day on which the Assembly is not sitting; at a time when the Assembly is not sitting, or during a recess.
- Exercise any other powers assigned to it by the Constitution, legislation, the other provisions of these rules or resolutions of the Assembly
Committees in Practice
With the agreement of members, the Committee staff sets the dates and times of committee meetings. The frequency of committee meetings is determined by a committee’s work programme but it is normal for a committee to meet weekly. From time to time, committees can meet more than once a week if they work programme so demands.
Section 59(1)(b) of the Constitution requires that the National Assembly and its committees conduct their business in an open manner and hold their sittings in public. Section 59(2) states that the National Assembly may not exclude the public or the media unless it is ‘reasonable and justifiable to do so in an open and democratic society’. Rule 184(2) of the Rules of the National Assembly further require that any decision to exclude the public from a committee meeting or part thereof must be taken ‘after due consideration’ by that committee
Who attends Committee Meetings:
- MPs (those assigned to the committee and if they so wish, any other MP)
- Committee Staff: Committee Secretary, Committee Assistant, Researcher, Content Advisor
- Departments, entities, organizations, individuals and experts who are invited by the Committee to speak and be questioned
- Parliamentary Legal Advisor (from time to time)
- Media
- General Public
THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES OF PARLIAMENT
Portfolio Committees
The National Assembly (NA) appoints from among its members a number of Portfolio Committees to shadow the work of the various national government departments.
Select Committees
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) appoints from its permanent members a number of Select Committees to shadow the work of the various national government departments and to deal with Bills.
Because only 54 of the 90 NCOP Members are permanent delegates compared to the 400 of the NA, the Select Committees oversee the work of more than one national government department.
Public Accounts Committees
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Public Accounts acts as Parliament's watchdog over the way taxpayers' money is spent by the Executive. Every year the Auditor-General tables reports on the accounts and financial management of the various government departments and State institutions.
Heads of government departments and institutions are regularly called by this committee to report and account for expenditure. The Committee can recommend that the National Assembly takes corrective actions if necessary.
Internal Committees
The National Assembly has a number of internal committees that deal with matters affecting the running of Parliament. The Committees normally consist of senior Members of Parliament. The Rules Committee and its sub-committees deal with House rules. There are structures to deal with support for Members, internal arrangements, disciplinary matters and powers and privileges of members. Other internal Committees are the Programme Committee that plans the work of the Assembly, the Disciplinary Committee, and the Committee of Chairpersons.
The National Council of Provinces also has its own domestic Committees. The Rules Committee and its subcommittees deal with the NCOP rules. There are structures to deal with support for Members, internal arrangements, disciplinary matters and powers and privileges of members. The Programme Committee plans the work of the NCOP and the Committee of Chairpersons make recommendations about the functioning of Committees and other NCOP forums.
Ad hoc Committees
Parliament or one of its Houses may appoint an ad hoc (temporary) Committee when a special task must be done. When the task is complete, the Committee is dissolved.
Joint Committees
The National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces together appoint several joint committees. There are currently six Joint Committees:
Committees play a very important role in the process of building democracy and involving the public in the processes and activities of Parliament.
No results.
NW200 by Mr T K S Letlape - What is the current protocol of his department... | |
NW370 by Ms S Gcilishe - In light of the ongoing challenges and the... | |
NW448 by Dr S S Thembekwayo - What are the relevant details of the plans he... | |
NW438 by Mrs M O Clarke - Whether he placed the monkeypox disease... | |
NW433 by Dr K W du P le Roux - What (a) total number of qualified doctors are... | |
NW479 by Ms N H Mhlongo - Whether he and/or his department has taken any... | |
NW469 by Ms F S Rorke - Considering that the Republic’s public... | |
NW468 by Ms F S Rorke - With reference to the multiple challenges... | |
NW457 by Ms M M Senne - Noting that the World Health Organisation... | |
NW456 by Ms B M Kegakilwe - What have been the major lessons learned from... | |
NW455 by Dr S M Dhlomo - What interventions is his department... | |
NW449 by Dr S S Thembekwayo - What (a) urgent intervention and/or regulatory... | |
NW339 by Dr M J Burke - What is the total (a) number of officials from... | |
NW318 by Ms A L A Abrahams - (1) What total number of babies found... | |
NW263 by Mrs M O Clarke - Whether, with reference to the case HPCSA -... | |
NW261 by Mrs M O Clarke - With reference to reports that a certain... | |
NW260 by Mr P A van Staden - (1) What (a) is the current backlog of... | |
NW201 by Mr T K S Letlape - (1) What (a) is the current vacancy rate for... | |
NW122 by Mrs M O Clarke - (1) (a) Which contracts were awarded without... | |
NW123 by Mrs M O Clarke - (1) What is the total amount that has actually... | |
CW70 by Ms A M Siwisa - (a) Why residents in the Northern Cape,... | |
NW168 by Dr S S Thembekwayo - (1) What strategy is his department... | |
NW155 by Mrs N J Nolutshungu - What are the full details of the measures that... | |
NW169 by Dr S S Thembekwayo - Whether his department measures the... | |
CW50 by Ms N N Chirwa-Mpungose - With reference to the Life Esidimeni Inquest... | |
CW51 by Ms N N Chirwa-Mpungose - (1) What is the jurisdiction of oversight,... | |
NW121 by Mrs M O Clarke - (a) On what date will the reclassification of... | |
NW51 by Dr S S Thembekwayo - What urgent steps of intervention have been... | |
NW50 by Dr S S Thembekwayo - What are the relevant details of the forms of... | |
NW19 by Mrs M O Clarke - (1) Whether doctors who hold the status of a... | |
NW18 by Mrs M O Clarke - (1) Whether medical practitioners, such as... | |
NW20 by Mrs M O Clarke - (1) Whether (a) nurses who work in the high... | |
CW10 by Ms L H Arries - (a) How ambulance allocations are measured... | |
CW09 by Ms L H Arries - (a) How many psychiatric patients have jumped... | |
NW31 by Ms S Gcilishe - Whether, in light of how Government continues... | |
NW838 by Mrs M B Hicklin - (1)What are the dates of the (a) finalisation... | |
NW840 by Mrs M B Hicklin - (1)(a) What total amount is outstanding for... | |
NW818 by Mrs L F Tito - Whether he has been informed that the Betty... | |
NW835 by Mrs M O Clarke - (1)What total (a) number of cases of... | |
NW837 by Mrs M O Clarke - (1) What are the relevant details of the... | |
NW839 by Mrs M B Hicklin - Whether the National Health Laboratory Service... | |
NW770 by Mrs M B Hicklin - (1)(a) When last was each forensic pathology... | |
NW797 by Dr D T George - Whether, with the expectation of the... | |
NW796 by Dr D T George - With reference to the 2024-25 financial year,... | |
NW775 by Mrs M B Hicklin - (a) What is the total amount of accruals... | |
NW771 by Mrs M O Clarke - Whether, with reference to funding of the... | |
NW773 by Mrs M O Clarke - What is the (a) total number of (i)... | |
NW774 by Mrs M B Hicklin - What are the details of the types of surgery... | |
NW772 by Mrs M O Clarke - (1)What is the current vacancy rate for each... | |
NW684 by Mrs M B Hicklin - What is the (a) policy for unclaimed bodies... |
Attendance
Ranked 5 out of 36 for NAMembership
-
Clarke, Ms MDA
-
Khumalo, Ms JQANC
-
Letlape, Dr TKSAction SA
-
Mhlongo, Ms NHIFP
-
Senne, Ms MMANC
-
Shabangu, Ms FLANC
-
Xego, Ms STANC
-
Zungula, Mr VATM
Contact
Secretary of Committee:
Vuyokazi Majalamba
Tel: (021) 403 3770
Cell: 083 709 8522
Email: [email protected]
Chairperson’s Secretary
Ms. Coceka Socishe
Email: [email protected]