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National Assembly (NA) Speaker, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will, on 6 to 7 March, lead a South African parliamentary delegation to the Women Speakers’ Summit to be held in Paris, France under the auspices of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU).
 
The Summit provides women in the highest decision-making positions of world parliaments a forum in which to exchange ideas and experiences that are of interest to their national and international agendas. It is open to women Speakers of national parliaments as well as to women Presidents of regional and international parliamentary assemblies that are associate members of the IPU.
 
This year, the women Speakers are gathering to reaffirm their unwavering support for women's rights. Through this unprecedented Summit, women Speakers aim to promote parliamentary diplomacy, strongly committed to this goal. Delegates will use this Summit to denounce and strongly condemn sexual violence against women in times of conflict in violation of international law, including the abhorrent use of rape as a weapon of war.
Other important items expected to take centre stage on the programme this week include motions of condolences, a question-and-answer session with Ministers from the Social Services cluster in the NA, consideration of bills, and a debate on the report of the 2023 Provincial Week in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) plenary.

On Tuesday at 14:00, the NA plenary is expected to consider motion of condolences for the two Members of Parliament, Ms Alice Mthembu and Ms Violet Siwela, who passed away in December and January, respectively.
 
On Wednesday at 15:00, Ministers from the Social Services Cluster will answer oral questions in the NA. The cluster comprises Ministers responsible for Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Basic Education, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Health, and Social Development.

Questions and answer sessions are among a range of instruments Parliament uses to scrutinise and oversee executive action. Section 92(2) of the Constitution also stipulates that Cabinet members are accountable collectively and individually to Parliament for exercising their powers and performance of their functions.
 
Meanwhile, on Wednesday at 14:00, the NCOP hybrid plenary will debate the report of the 2023 Provincial Week oversight programme that took place on 11 to 15 September 2023 under the theme: “Building viable Provincial and Municipal Infrastructure for Effective Delivery of Services to Communities”. At the same plenary, delegates are expected to consider the Expropriation Bill.
 
On Thursday at 8.30, the NA will convene its Programme Committee meeting to plan the business of Parliament. The meeting will, among others, consider the draft programme of the National Assembly, committee reports, and bills before the House. At 14:00, the NA will conclude its business for the day with two virtual mini-plenary sessions.
 
There are 34 committee meetings scheduled for this week as outlined below:

TUESDAY, 5 MARCH
 
Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure: Briefing by the DPWI and Property Management Trading Entity on the leasing of government properties and functional accommodation of service delivery departments.
 
Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Finance: Consideration and adoption of the Committee report on the 2024 Budget.
 
Standing Committee on Appropriations: Briefing by the Parliamentary Budget Office of the following bills – 2024 Division of Revenue Bill and 2024 Second Adjustments Appropriation (2023/24 Financial year) Bill.
 
Portfolio Committee on Basic Education: Consideration of and Engagement on the SAHRC Report on the Investigation and Inquiry into School Uniforms and the Over-regulating of Appearances (Eastern Cape).
 
Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies: 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.
 
Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour: Responses by the Department of Small Business Development and Parliamentary Legal Adviser to the written or oral submissions on the National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill. Follow-up briefing on responses by Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and Parliamentary Legal advisor to submissions on the Companies Amendment Bill.
 
Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs: Engagement with the Office of the Auditor-General of South Africa on the 2021-2022 Material Irregularities in local government.
 
Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs: 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.
 
Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy: Continuation of deliberations on the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill.
 
Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy: Continuation of deliberations on the National Nuclear Regulator Amendment Bill.
 
Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: Briefing by the Commission for Gender Equality on the following reports: Commission for Gender Equality: Learner Pregnancy-Policy interplay: school dropout of adolescent girl during pregnancy and in the postpartum period in selected South African schools, 2023.
 
Standing Committee on Public Accounts: Progress in resolving the implementation of IFMS.
 
Portfolio Committee on Transport: Briefing by the entities of the Department of Transport on their 2022/23 Annual Reports: Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA).
 
Select Committee on Health and Social Services: Deliberations on the written submissions on the GBVF Bill [B31B-2022] and DWYPD response to submissions.
 
Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries: Meeting with the German Parliamentary Committee on Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Safety.
 
Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament: Consideration and adoption of committee minutes and reports.
 
WEDNESDAY, 6 MARCH
 
Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure: Briefing by the DPWI and PMTE on the matter dated 21 October 2020 that requested a report to be submitted to the committee within two weeks after the adoption of its report on the Kosi Bay border maintenance project at Kosi Bay and Republic of South Africa/Mozambique Borderline.
 
Standing Committee on Appropriations: 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.
 
Portfolio Committee on Police: Capital Works with SAPS and DPWI.
 
Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation: 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.
 
Portfolio Committee on Social Development: Briefing by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in response to the public input on the Older Person’s Amendment Bill.[AO1] 
 
Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy: Clause-by-clause on the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill [B23 – 2023]; Consideration and adoption of the Committee report on the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill.
 
THURSDAY, 7 MARCH
Joint Standing Committee on Defence: 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.
 
FRIDAY, 8 MARCH
 
Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament: Briefing on progress made on the restoration of buildings destroyed by the 2022 fire on the parliamentary precinct and related matters.
 
Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies: Discussion on SABC SOC Ltd Bill.
 
Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation: Briefing by the National Skills Fund (NSF) on the implementation of the Audit Action Plan to address the 2022/23 audit findings; Briefing by the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (MERSETA) on the implementation of the Audit Action Plan to address the 2022/23 audit findings, including progress in the implementation of the forensic investigations recommendations.
 
Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy: Clause-by-clause on the National Nuclear Regulator Amendment Bill [B25 – 2023]; Consideration and adoption of the Committee report on the National Nuclear Regulator Amendment Bill.
 
Portfolio Committee on Social Development: Briefing by the Department of Police in response to the public inputs on the Older Person’s Amendment Bill[AO2] ; Briefing by the Department of Health in response to the public inputs on the Bill.
 
Select Committee on Health and Social Services: Deliberations on the written submissions to the NYDA amendment Bill [B13B-2022] and DWYPD response to submissions.
 
Select Committee on Finance: Responses by National Treasury on submissions received during public hearings on the Public Procurement Bill.
 
Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy: Continuation of deliberations on the National Nuclear Regulator Amendment Bill.
 
Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure: Expropriation Bill, Briefing by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (National Planning Commission) on the Ten-Year Review of the National Development Plan.
 
Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans: Briefing by the Border Management Authority on the cooperation between BMA and the SANDF on border management, i.e. challenges and successes.
 
Select Committee on Public Enterprises and Communication: Briefing by the Films and Publication Board (FPB) on challenges and/or measures taken to deal with harmful online content as it pertains to children, women and other vulnerable persons.
 

Issued by Parliament