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Questions to the Peace and Security Cluster, Mini-plenary debates on issues of national importance and committee meetings are among the key items in Parliament’s programme this week.
 
The National Assembly (NA) will, on Tuesday at 2 pm, hold a sitting to consider various committee reports on Bills before the House including, Public Service Amendment Bill, Public Administration Management Amendment Bill and Statistics Amendment Bill. The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will at its Tuesday’s 2 pm plenary sitting consider the Eskom Debt Relief Amendment Bill and the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill.  
 
On Wednesday at 2pm, the Peace and Security Cluster which comprises of Departments of Defence and Military Veterans, Home Affairs, International Relations and Cooperation, Justice and Constitutional Services, Police as well as State Security appear in NA for questions for oral reply. Holding regular question and answer sessions by the President, Deputy President, and Cabinet Ministers is one of the methods in which Parliament, as specified in section 92(2) of the Constitution, holds the Executive to account.
 
On Thursday at 2 pm, NA will at its plenary sitting consider several committees’ reports on Bills before the House, such as, the Copyright Amendment Bill, Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill, National Road Traffic Amendment Bill, National Road Traffic Amendment Bill and the Economic Regulation of Transport. Other items on the agenda for consideration at the same sitting are reports of the Powers and Privileges Committee into allegations of conduct constituting contempt of Parliament by Mr Mosebenzi Zwane as well as allegations of conduct constituting contempt of Parliament by NA members during Oral questions to the President on Tuesday, 30 August 2022. NA will also consider the report of the Portfolio Committee on Communications on the recommendation of a candidate to fill a vacancy on Independent Communications Authority of South Africa.
 
On Friday at 10 am, NA holds three mini-plenary for debates on matters of national importance. The mini-plenaries will take place as follows:
 
Mini-plenary 1:  

The theme for the debate which was sponsored by Mr S N Swart is: Parliament's role in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, with particular reference to the World Health Organisation's proposed Pandemic Agreement and amendments to the International Health Regulations of 2005.

The theme for the debate, which was sponsored Ms F A Masiko is: Policy oversight over the implementation of the 2019 to 2024 Medium Term Strategic Framework  

Mini-plenary 2:

The theme for the debate, which was sponsored by Mr B N Herron is: Addressing the triple crisis of low economic growth, high unemployment, and entrenched poverty. 

The theme for the debate which was sponsored by Dr M M E Tlhape is: Critical assessment of land reform and agrarian transformation in supporting small and medium-scale black farmers to ensure food security and growth in the agricultural sector.

Mini-plenary 3:  

The theme for the debate, which was sponsored by Dr L A Schreiber is: The need to professionalise the Republic’s public administration to improve service delivery for South Africans. 

The theme for the debate, which was sponsored by Mr M Shikwambana, is: Provision of fee-free higher education for all in South Africa. 

There are about 32 scheduled committee meetings of both Houses this week, and they are as follows:
 
TUESDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2024
Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure to receive a briefing on the Report by the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) with the full Board of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) on matters related to governance, compliance, and transformation], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00
 
Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance, Standing Committee on Appropriations, Select Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Appropriations, to be Briefed by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) and the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) on the 2024 Budget, Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00
 
Portfolio Committee on Basic Education to be Briefed by the Department of Basic Education on the following: Analysis, Implications, and Impact of the President’s SONA 2024; Updated Status Report on ECD Migration. Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-12:30
 
Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour to receive Departmental responses on stakeholder issues raised during public hearings on the Companies Amendment Bills; Consideration and adoption of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00
 
Standing Committee on Public Accounts to hold a meeting to Follow-up on the Relocation of illegal dwellers on railway reserve between Philippi and Langa: stakeholder engagement – Presidential Project], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:30- 13:30
 
WEDNESDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 2024
 
Ad Hoc Committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill to receive input from the Parliamentary Legal Services on the constitutionality of submissions and responses from the department, Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 08:00-10:00
 
Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Finance,
To hold public hearings on the 2024 Budget (Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00
 
Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure, to consider Written and Oral Submissions on: Marine Pollution (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment Bill [B5—2022]; and Transport Appeal Tribunal Amendment Bill [B8B—2022, Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00
 
Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration to be briefed by the Department of Public Service and Administration on the first to third quarter performance of 2023-2024 financial year; Briefing by the National School of Government on the first to third quarter performance of 2023-2024 financial year; Briefing by the Centre for Public Service Innovation on the first to third quarter performance of 2023-2024 financial year; Briefing by the Public Service Commission on the first to third quarter performance of 2023-2024 financial year, Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00.
 
THURSDAY, 29 FEBRUARY 2024
 
Ad Hoc Committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill to hold a meeting for formal consideration and deliberations on the Bill by the Committee], Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 08:00-09:50
 
Joint Standing Committee on Defence to be briefed by the Mil Ombud on its mid-year performance and expenditure and community engagement during domestic SANDF deployments; Consideration of outstanding minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:00-21:00
 
FRIDAY, 30 FEBRUARY 2024
 
Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament to be briefed  on Parliament of RSA’s 2023/24 Quarter performance], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:00-10:00
 
Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Finance to receive Response from National Treasury and SARS to the submissions received on the 2024 Budget (Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00
 
Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation to be briefed by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) on: Progress of the Square Kilometre Array and radio astronomy in general, as well as issues raised during the PC's oversight in 2022 (fence for Meerkat National Park, support for communities, skills development initiatives and socio-economic impact); Astro-Tourism Strategy - Status and next steps], Virtual Meeting Platform, 14:00-17:00

Issued by Parliament