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Questions to the Deputy President and the Ministers in the Economics Cluster, debates on matters of national public importance, international engagements at the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Provincial Week programme dominate a packed parliamentary schedule this week.

The Chairperson of the NCOP, Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, is leading a five-member multiparty parliamentary delegation to the Sitting of the Permanent Committees of the PAP in Midrand, Johannesburg from 16 to 20 September. The session will be held under the African Union theme for 2024 – “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality, and Relevant Learning in Africa.” The delegation includes Mr Mdumiseni Ntuli (Chief Whip of the African National Congress) in the National Assembly, Mr Mergan Chetty from the Democratic Alliance, Ms Duduzile Zuma-Sambula from uMkhonto Wesizwe Party, and Mr Vuyani Pambo from the Economic Freedom Fighters. This is the first time the newly elected delegation of the South African Parliament to PAP is attending the session after their election by both Houses of the 7th Parliament. Before assuming their responsibilities, they will be sworn in as duly elected members of the continental legislative body tomorrow, Monday, 16 September.

The PAP is a legislative organ of the African Union (AU) as set out by the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (Abuja Treaty).

The Speaker of the NA, Ms Thoko Didiza, is scheduled to attend the Conference of Speakers and Heads of African Parliaments, which will take place from 18 to 20 September 2024 on the sidelines of the sittings of the PAP Permanent Committees.

Permanent delegates to the NCOP will return to their respective provinces from 17 to 20 September as part of the Provincial Week programme to conduct oversight visits and engage key stakeholders to find solutions to various service delivery issues. This year’s programme will be held under the theme “Confronting the challenges facing the timely delivery of viable public infrastructure to communities.” A comprehensive programme that includes all sites the delegations will visit is available on Parliament’s website.

On Tuesday, the hybrid plenary of the NA will consider a Statement by the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ms Pemmy Majodina, on measures taken by the Department on Dam Safety. The sitting is also scheduled to consider two draft notices and schedules determining the rate (with effect from 1 April 2023 and 1 April 2024, respectively) at which salaries, allowances and benefits are payable to the Auditor-General annually. Another matter to be considered is a request to approve a Protocol to Amend the Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution.
 
Also on Tuesday, the Secretary to Parliament, Mr Xolile George, will attend a Meeting of Clerks of Parliaments scheduled at the PAP Headquarters in Midrand.

In the NCOP, Deputy President Paul Mashatile is scheduled to respond to oral questions during a virtual sitting on Thursday at 18:00. Questions for Oral Reply sessions are one of the mechanisms Parliament uses to hold the executive to account. As stipulated in Section 92(2) of the Constitution, the President and his Cabinet are accountable to Parliament for exercising their powers and performing their functions. Ministers in the Economics Cluster are scheduled to appear before the NA on Wednesday at 15:00 for an oral question-and-answer session. The cluster comprises Ministers responsible for Agriculture; Communications and Digital Technologies; Electricity and Energy; Employment and Labour; Finance; Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment; and Mineral and Petroleum Resources.

On Thursday, the NA is scheduled to debate an urgent matter of national public importance on the recent decision by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) to grant Eskom’s application to retrospectively recover R8 billion for the 2021/2022 financial year. The sitting will also consider the draft notices and schedules determining the rate at which salaries, allowances and benefits payable annually to Constitutional Court judges and other judges, the magistrates, and the Commissioners of the Human Rights Commission.

After this week’s programme, Members of the two Houses are scheduled to return to their respective constituencies for a two-week constituency period starting on 23 September and ending on 7 October.

This week, thirty-nine committee meetings are scheduled to consider various oversight and service delivery issues.

TUESDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2024

Standing Committee on Finance, Briefing by National Treasury and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) on the draft 2024 Tax Bills covering the following: 2024 draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (2024 draft TLAB); 2024 draft Revenue Laws Amendment Bill (2024 draft RLAB); 2024 draft Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill (2024 draft TALAB); 2024 draft Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill (2024 draft Rates Bill); 2024 draft Global Minimum Tax Bill; and 2024 draft Global Minimum Tax Administration Bill], Venue to be confirmed, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Briefing by the Department of Basic Education on the 1st Quarterly Performance Report of the Department of Basic Education in Meetings its Strategic Objectives 2024/25; Briefing on a Preliminary Report on National Senior Certificate Examinations 2024 Readiness by DBE and Umalusi; Consideration and Adoption of Draft Minutes (03/09/2024 and 10/09/2024) Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-12:30

Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition, Briefing by the B-BBEE Commission on its annual performance plan; Briefing by the Auditor-General of South Africa on its mandate, the audit outcome trends over the last five years and critical outstanding governance issues from the 6th administration; Consideration of the first draft of the Committee’s report on the DTIC’s performance for the 4th quarter of the 2023/24 financial year and the first quarter of the 2024/25 financial year], Committee Room M201, Second Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:00

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Briefing by the Auditor-General of South Africa on the Financial Performance of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA); South African Airways (SAA), Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-14:00

Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, Briefing by the Department of Water and Sanitation on the progress report of the Giyani Bulk Water Project and progress report of the Bucket Eradication Programme in the Northern Cape and Free State Provinces; Consideration and adoption of the Committee Report on the Fourth Quarter Expenditure Report - 2023/24 financial year; First Quarter Expenditure Report - 2024/25 financial year and Municipal Debts to Water Boards, Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00

Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, Briefing by the Department of Water and Sanitation on the governance and financial management of Amatola Water Board, following a report of the suspension/termination of employment contract and reinstatement of the Chief Executive Officer; Briefing by National Treasury and Department of Water and Sanitation on measures that are being implemented to prevent Water Boards from falling into bankruptcy, mainly, Vaal Central and Magalies Water Boards; Briefing by National Treasury on the Metropolitan Trading System and its implications on solving municipal debts to water boards, Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:00

Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Mining and Petroleum Industry Stakeholders Engagement (Industry, Labour), Cape Sun Hotel, Strand Street, Cape Town, 09:00-20:00
 
Subcommittee on the Review of the National Assembly Rules, Consideration of matters referred by the Rules Committee, Good Hope Chamber, Ground Floor, Good Hope Building, Parliament, 16:30 (After the National Assembly adjourns)

WEDNESDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER 2024
 
Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Briefing/Presentation on the Impact and Implications of Budget Cuts and Declaration of Posts by all nine Provincial Education Departments (PEDs); Consideration and Adoption of Outstanding Draft Minutes and Draft Reports, Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:30-14:00

Standing Committee on Appropriations, Briefing by the Statistics South Africa on the efficacy of its budget Allocation; Consideration and adoption of Minutes dated 10 & 11 September 2024, Committee Room M201, Second Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-12:00
 
Portfolio Committee on Police, Briefing by South African Police Service (SAPS) on intervention Plan to combat extortion, Finance and Fiscal Commission, Good Hope Chamber, Ground Floor, Good Hope Building, Parliament, 09:00-12:30

Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Briefing by Department of Human Settlements and SITA on the challenges with the system to assist the Department of Human Settlements to digitise the Beneficiary List, Committee Room S35, First Floor, NCOP Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:00

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Briefing by the Auditor-General of South Africa on the Financial Performance of Road Accident Fund (RAF); Briefing by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on Investigations Conducted at Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA); Road Accident Fund (RAF). Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-14:00

Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, Briefing by the Public Protector South Africa on Report No. 1 of 2024: Systemic Investigation into Administrative Deficiencies relating to Gender-Based Violence within the South African Justice System, Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30

Portfolio Committee on Health, Briefing by the Department of Health on the status of unclaimed bodies in State Mortuaries; Response by the Department of Health on the Health Market Inquiry Report; Consideration and adoption of minutes; Consideration and adoption of the Committee Programme, Committee Room 1, Ground Floor, 120 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 09:30-13:00

Standing Committee on Finance, Consideration and adoption of the Committee report on the oversight visit to Ithala SOC Ltd, Committee Room 2, Ground Floor, 120 Plein Street Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:00

FRIDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2024

Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition, Briefing on the African Union’s Start-up Model Law Framework, Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:00

Powers and Privileges Committee, Induction of members of the Powers and Privileges Committee, Committee Room M515, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:00


Issued by Parliament