HAPPENING IN PARLIAMENT THIS WEEK

Parliament’s budget allocation (Vote 2) is scheduled for Tuesday, 30 May 2023 by both Houses of Parliament. The Speaker of the National Assembly (NA), Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Mr Amos Masondo, will respectively deliver Parliament’s budget allocation in two separate plenary sessions in their respective chambers both at 2 pm.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will present the budget allocation for the Presidency (Vote 1) during the NA hybrid plenary sitting on Wednesday, 31 May at 2 pm. The debate on the Presidency’s budget allocation will follow on Thursday.

Also scheduled in the NA on Tuesday at 10 am, are mini-plenary debates on Vote 25 (Department of Justice and Constitutional Development) and Vote 19 (Department of Social Development). At the same sitting, the House will consider various committee reports such as the report of the Standing Committee on Finance: Draft Notice on Determination of Remuneration of Independent Constitutional Institutions and the report of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs: Draft Notice on Determination of Remuneration of Independent Constitutional Institutions.

The NCOP hybrid plenary sitting on Tuesday at 2 pm, will also deal with three policy debates on Budget Vote 28 (Police), Budget Vote 21 (Civilian Secretariat for the Police Service), and Budget Vote 24 (Independent Police Investigative Directorate).

Wednesday’s sitting of the Council will deliberate on policy debates on Budget Vote 13 (Public Works and Infrastructure) and Budget Vote 41 (Water and Sanitation). The sitting will also consider several committee reports.

Thursday’s sitting will consider the Land Court bill. The bill seeks to provide for the establishment of a Land Court and a Land Court of Appeal. It further aims to make provision for the administration and judicial functions, and budgetary matters of the Land Court and Land Court of Appeal. Furthermore, it seeks to provide for the exclusive jurisdiction of the Land Court and Land Court of Appeal for certain matters; to provide for mediation and arbitration procedures and to amend certain laws relating to the adjudication of land matters by other courts.

On Friday from 10:00 – 17:00, the NCOP will hold a Three Sphere Planning Session, themed: “Delineating key priorities and projects for accelerated implementation at local government level.”

There are nineteen (19) committee meetings scheduled this week that include:

TUESDAY, 30 MAY 2023:

Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance, Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services and Portfolio Committee on Police: Joint Meeting with Hawks, SIU, Zondo Commission, Public Protector, Deloitte and Nexus forensic review and reports into the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS).

Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs: Update by Parliament Legal Services on the General Electoral Laws Amendment Bill.

Portfolio Committee on Communications: Briefing by GCIS and MDDA and the DCTD and relevant Entities on the State of Readiness towards the National Elections; Update by the DCDT and Sentech on signal distribution tariffs and feedback on the mediation process; Adoption of Oversight Visit Reports.

Portfolio Committee on Basic Education: Briefing by DBE on School Infrastructure (ASIDI + SAFE + Backlogs); Preparatory Briefing on International Study Tour to USA (17 – 27 June 2023 tentative) by DIRCO; and IRPD Unit and Parliament.

Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment: Virtual Oral submissions on Climate Change Bill [B9-2022].

Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour: Final mandates on Performers Protection and Copyright Amendment Bills; Consideration and adoption of the reports on Performers Protection and Copyright Amendment Bills and minutes.

Select Committee on Finance: Consideration of policy issues; and clause-by-clause consideration of the Financial Matters Amendment Bill.

WEDNESDAY, 31 MAY 2023:

Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure: Briefing by the DPWI/PMTE on the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). (Its objectives, the cost incurred on each component, how much was paid, how many service providers were involved to date, and the current status of the ERP): Consideration and adoption of minutes of previous meetings.

Standing Committee on Finance: Briefing by National Treasury on legislation.

Portfolio Committee on Police: Border Security Implementation of the Border Management Act (BMA) and the role of SAPS therein including cooperation with BMA and SANDF: Briefing on Cross-border Crime.

Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development: Productive Credit and Economic Growth: The role of the Banking, Credit Providers and DFI Sector in granting Access to Credit; Consideration and adoption of minutes.

Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans: Briefing by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) on the status of investigations of DOD cases referred to it; Consideration and adoption of outstanding minutes.

Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure: Consideration of written submissions on Expropriation Bill [B 23B-2020].

Select Committee on Appropriations: Responses by National Treasury on public submissions on the: (I) Appropriation Bill [B3 – 2023]; and (ii) Eskom Debt Relief Bill [B5 – 2023].

THURSDAY, 1 JUNE 2023:

Joint Standing Committee on Defence: Briefing by the SA Military Health Services on requirements for improving the capacity and capabilities at Military Hospitals, including needs and expected costs for critically required equipment; Consideration of outstanding minutes.

FRIDAY, 2 JUNE 2023:

Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament: Update on the status of the regulations to the Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act: briefing by the Secretary to Parliament; BRICS Parliamentary Forum: briefing on preparations; Consideration and adoption of minutes: 26 May 2023.

Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment: Consideration and adoption of the Committee Report on the Provincial Public Hearings on the Climate Change Bill [B9-2022]; and Responses by the Department on the issues raised by public during the Public Hearings on Climate Change Bill [B9 -2022].

Source: Parliament of South Africa