Parliament, Sunday 13 October 2019 – Participation in global and African parliamentary platforms, training for National Council of Provinces Permanent Delegates, oral question sessions, committee meetings and an oversight visit to Eskom are among issues coming up.
Seven Members of Parliament, led by National Assembly Speaker Ms Thandi Modise, are scheduled to participate in the 141st Assembly and Related Meetings of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in the Serbian capital of Belgrade this week. The IPU is the oldest and largest platform of its kind in the world. It provides a forum for parliamentarians from diverse countries and political parties to discuss common issues and has permanent observer status at the United Nations General Assembly. The topic for the 141st Assembly’s general debate is “Strengthening international law: Parliamentary roles and mechanisms and the contribution of regional co-operation”.
Parliament’s participation continues this week at the third ordinary session of the fifth Pan-African Parliament in Midrand. The session started on 7 October under the African Union theme for 2019 – “Refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons: Towards durable solutions to forced displacement in Africa.’’
The ultimate aim is for the Pan-African Parliament to have full legislative powers. Currently, it has consultative, advisory and budgetary oversight powers within the African Union and its members are designated by legislatures of Member States. Parliament’s designated Pan-African Parliament members are National Council of Provinces Chairperson Mr Amos Masondo, National Assembly Chief Whip of the Majority Party Ms Pemmy Majodina, Dr Mathole Motshekga (African National Congress), Mr Thembekile Majola (Democratic Alliance) and Mr Julius Malema (Economic Freedom Fighters leader).
Youth Members of Parliament (up to age 35) are also scheduled to participate in a youth indaba of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum in Pretoria from 15 to 17 October. The indaba’s focus is: “Youth-led accountability within the national Parliaments – towards delivering on sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV and gender equality political commitments in the SADC region”.
At Parliament, oral question and answer sessions are scheduled for plenary sittings of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces. These regular oral question sessions are one of the ways in which Parliament fulfils its constitutional role of scrutinising and overseeing Executive action.
Deputy President David Mabuza is scheduled to answer questions for oral reply at the National Assembly plenary sitting starting at 14.00 on Thursday. The six questions to the Deputy President cover the role of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Rapid Response Interventions regarding municipalities’ service delivery and revenue collection; government funding and the performance of the Moral Regeneration Movement; steps to achieve gender equity in the job market to correct and address disparity and shortage of skills; the effect of regulations in the micro economic sector; and government plans to accelerate land reform to improve access to land for economic development and human settlement.
The National Council of Provinces’ plenary sitting, also on Thursday at 14.00, is scheduled to feature an oral question and answer session with the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs; the Minister of Public Service and Administration; the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities; and the Minister in the Presidency.
Training sessions for National Council of Provinces Permanent Delegates are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Topics to be covered include lawmaking, public involvement and oversight and accountability.
The 35 meetings of Parliament’s oversight committees, scheduled from Tuesday to Friday, include consideration of matters of public interest and the finances and performance of state entities.
Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports (BRRRs) for government departments and entities are scheduled to feature at 17 of these committee meetings. Government departments and entities must provide a range of planning, budgeting and reporting documentation to National Assembly committees, which use the information to draw up BRRRs for tabling in the National Assembly. The Minister of Finance must take the BRRRs into account when developing the national budget for the next financial year.
The Standing Committee on Appropriations is also scheduled to undertake an oversight visit to Eskom in Gauteng from Monday to Wednesday. The visit will involve engaging with Eskom’s leadership and organised labour to address issues of instability, weak governance, non-compliance with procurement prescripts, liquidity constraints and cost escalations due to delays and design defects in capital projects.
Committee meetings scheduled for the week ahead include:
TUESDAY
Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development: Land Bank briefing on transformation activities and AgriBEE Fund
Portfolio Committee on Basic Education: Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) briefing on update on ELRC collective agreements; Department of Basic Education briefing on update on Grade 9 General Education Certificate (GEC)
Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services: National Prosecuting Authority briefing on annual report for 2018/19 and forward funding needs 2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)
Standing Committee on Finance: Public Investment Corporation briefing on its annual report for 2018/19
Portfolio Committee on Communications: Briefing by Independent Communications Authority of South Africa; Sentech, SITA, Broadband Infranco, Universal Service Access Agency of South Africa, Universal Service Access Fund and South African Post Office; ZADNA; NEMISA; Films and Publications Board; South African Broadcasting Corporation on 2018/19 annual reports and financial statements
WEDNESDAY
Standing Committee on Public Accounts: Update by Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on municipalities under investigation; and update: National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa on cases referred by SIU
Standing Committee on Finance: Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) briefing on its annual report for 2018/19
THURSDAY
Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration (Subcommittee): Shortlisting of candidates for Public Service Commission Board vacancy
Select Committee on Petitions and Executive Undertakings: Overseeing and scrutinising implementation of Progress Reports on Executive Undertakings made by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (during question and answer session of National Council of Provinces on 13 June 2017); overseeing and scrutinising implementation of Progress Reports on Executive Undertakings made by Minister of Transport (during the question and answer session of National Council of Provinces on 20 June 2017)
FRIDAY
Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services: Public Protector South Africa briefing on annual report for 2018/19 and forward funding needs 2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)
For the latest full schedule of committee meetings (updated regularly), please click:https://www.parliament.gov.za/whatson
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