The Week Ahead: Final Term, Annual Report Season & President Ramaphosa

Parliament will be particularly busy when it resumes business for the fourth and final term as it deals with the annual task of poring over the 2022/23 Annual Reports of Departments and public entities within the ambit of each parliamentary committee.

It is during this process that the importance of parliamentary oversight and accountability will be on full display, or ideally should be. Committees will hold the Departments and entities they oversee accountable for the audit outcomes, their performance against agreed targets and the expenditure of funds.

Committees hear directly from the office of the Auditor-General as well as the Departments and entities themselves when conducting their performance assessment. This will lead to the compilation of a Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report (BRRR) to assist Departments and provide recommendations for the improvement of performance. The BRRRs are a key oversight mechanism as they help ensure that amendment debates are based on reliable analysis of departmental performance. The BRRR may include recommendations on the future use of resources. The Reports provide insight into what Departments have done i.e. services delivered and those not. The BRRR also reflects on whether the Committee, after considering relevant reports, is satisfied with the Department’s performance.

This process is followed by the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) presented to Parliament on 1 November this year. The MTBPS includes spending estimates for the first half of the year, adjustments to the proposed revenue and spending estimates for the second half of the year, and outcomes of the previous year. The Division of Revenue Amendment Bill and Adjusted Appropriations Bill are also tabled in Parliament on this day.

While there are no sittings scheduled in the National Assembly this week, the National Council of Provinces will meet over three days. Oral Questions to the Executive is the main chamber business.

On Thursday, President Ramaphosa will be quizzed about a range of issues including global climate change, the docking of Lady R and the outcomes of the 2023 BRICS Summit.

Select Ministers in the Social Services Cluster will be probed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A parliamentary delegation will take part in the Ninth G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit in New Delhi, India from 12 to 14 October.

Below are some of the highlights in Committee-land:

TUESDAY, 10 OCTOBER 2023

Standing Committee on Finance, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Auditor-General on audit outcomes of National Treasury and its entities], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Auditor-General on the Audit Outcomes of Vote 4 for 2022/23; Briefing by the DHA, IEC and GPW on their Annual Reports and Annual Financial Statements for the 2022-2023 financial year], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Office of the Auditor-General on the 2022/23 audit outcomes of the DTIC and its entities; Briefing by the Minister on the 2022/23 Annual Report of the DTIC, as well as on the first quarter financial and non-financial performance of the DTIC for the 2023/24 financial year], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-14:00

Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, (National Assembly), [Overview of the Annual Reports by the Auditor-General; Overview of the Annual Reports by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services; Briefing by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on the findings and fine by the Information Regulator; Briefing by Legal Aid South Africa on Annual Report], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30

Portfolio Committee on Health, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) and the Auditor General on their analysis of the Health Sector’s Annual Reports for 2022/23 financial year; Briefing by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-17:00

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Discussion on the legal opinion regarding Brig J. Burger on the Eskom related investigations], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-12:30

WEDNESDAY, 11 OCTOBER 2023

Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Postbank on its 2022/23 Annual Report and Financial Statements and related matters; Briefing by the South African Post Office (SAPO) on its 2022/23 Annual Report and Financial Statements and related matters; Briefing by the South African Broadcasting Commission (SABC) on its 2022/23 Annual Report and Financial Statements; Briefing by the SABC Board on an update on its implementation of the Turnaround Strategy, utilisation of bailout funds, failure of SABC to overcome its financial challenges and all outstanding matters (This is a part closed meeting)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure, (National Council of Provinces), [Consideration of oral and written submissions on Expropriation Bill [B 23B-2020] (s76)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Social Development, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Auditor-General of South Africa on Auditor-General’s report on the audit outcomes of the Annual Report of the Department of Social Development and its entities for 2022/23; Consideration of the Annual Report of the Department of Social Development for 2022/23 financial year; Consideration of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) annual report for 2022/23 financial year], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-17:00

Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on Annual Report; Briefing by the National Prosecuting Authority on Annual Report; Briefing by Mr MG Hendricks on the Divorce Amendment Bill [B32-2022]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Follow-up meeting with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) on the progress made regarding the implementation plans by, the City of Cape Town, Department of Human Settlements, National Development Agency, and DPWI on the relocation of illegal dwellers on the railway reserve between Philippi and Langa], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, (National Assembly), [Briefing by AGSA on the audit outcomes for the 20/22/23 financial year; Briefing by the Department of Public Enterprises on the annual report and financial statements for 2022/23; Consideration and adoption of draft fourth term programme], Committee Room M515, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, 10:00

Select Committee on Security and Justice, (National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the Minister and Department on its response to the public written and oral hearing submissions on the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill [B9B-2018] (National Assembly – sec 75)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 11:30-13:30

THURSDAY, 12 OCTOBER 2023

Powers and Privileges Committee, (National Assembly), [Hearing on the incident of 9 & 10 June 2022], Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 10:00-16:00

Joint Standing Committee on Defence, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Consideration and adoption of the 2023 draft fourth term programme; Defence Force Service Commission (DFSC) activities 2022/23 Annual Report; Feedback by the Minister of Defence on engagements with the DFSC and the way forward for the Commission given the threshold status of military unions; Consideration and adoption of minutes; Consideration of outstanding minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:00-21:00

FRIDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2023

Portfolio Committee on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Auditor-General on the outcomes for 2022/23 financial year in relation to the DPME, Brand SA and Stats SA; Briefing by Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Brand SA and Statistics SA on the Annual Reports 2022/23 financial year end and progress report on implementation of the recommendations of the Budget Votes report for 2023/24 financial year], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:30-16:00

Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture, (National Assembly), [Briefing by Athletics South Africa on their Annual Report; An update on preparations for the 2024 Olympic Games; Detailed report back on the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation on the R19 million lottery grant to build an athletics stadium implicating the Acting CEO of ASA; Briefing by the SAIDS on their Annual Report and the status of South Africa's compliance with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA); the role they played, if any, in the different World Cups that took place in 2023 including the ongoing Rugby World Cup], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-16:00

Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Public Protector on Annual Report; Public hearings on the Divorce Amendment Bill [B22-2023]; Public hearings on the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Amendment Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30

Portfolio Committee on Health, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Health on their annual report for 2022/23 financial year], Virtual Meeting Platform 09:30-14:00 Powers and Privileges Committee, (National Assembly), [Hearing on the incident of 9 & 10 June 2022], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 10:00-16:00

Committees provide a platform for the public to present views directly to MPs. Share your thoughts, on-the-ground experience and expert information to the relevant committees. Critically, what questions should MPs pose to the Executive as they conduct their oversight work? Write to a Parliamentary Committee

View the schedule page here.

*This summary is based on the schedule as it is published on Monday morning. The programme is subject to frequent updating so the link above needs to be checked daily to confirm the programme for the day.

People's Assembly aims to connect the public to their elected representatives. One way of doing so is through our Replocator tool, which allows you to search for the elected representative in your area.