The Week Ahead: Legislation & Questions for Oral Reply top the agenda

It's the final week of the parliamentary term for the National Assembly. National Council of Provinces (NCOP) delegates will sit for a further week and commence their constituency break on 2 October 2023.

The NCOP has not scheduled any sitting this week as the House's Whippery will undertake a working visit to the Deutscher Bundestag in Germany.

In contrast, the NA chamber has arranged a full and varied agenda.

On Tuesday, lawmakers will consider a statutory appointment (IEC Commissioner Vacancy) and four bills (the Judicial Matters Amendment Bill, the Correctional Services Amendment Bill, the Public Administration Laws General Amendment Bill and the Animals Protection Amendment Bill).

Oral Questions to select ministers in the Economics Cluster is the main highlight on Wednesday. Everything from specific scandals and programmes to big-picture policy to bread-and-butter issues and performance will be under the microscope. View the Questions

Thursday's programme includes a draft resolution to establish an ad hoc committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill. The proposed Bill has been criticised as it requires the state security services to vet any person who seeks to establish a non-governmental organisation (NGO), church or religious institution. The other major plenary event is the annual debate to mark Heritage Day. The theme this year is: "Celebrating our cultural diversity in a democratic South Africa". Legislators will also consider the reports approving the salary increases for IEC Commissioners and ICASA Councillors.

The Deputy President will appear on Friday to answer oral questions. In terms of the rules, this engagement happens once per term. One of the standout questions relates to what measures he will put in place to process the outcomes of the National Dialogue on Coalitions. View the Questions

Here is a run down of the highlights in the Committee Corridor.

TUESDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 2023

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Hearings on unauthorised expenditures for the following departments/entities: Vote 3: Department of Cooperative Governance; Vote 4: Government Communication and Information System; Vote 11: Department of Public Service and Administration; Vote 41: Department of Water and Sanitation; Vote 30: Department of Telecommunications and Digital Technologies], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00

Standing Committee on Finance, (National Assembly), [Public hearings on the 2023 Draft Revenue Laws Amendment Bill and 2023 Draft Revenue Administration and Pension Laws Amendment Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Select Committee on Finance, (National Council of Provinces), [Responses by National Treasury on the submissions received for Municipal Fiscal Powers and Functions Amendment Bill [B21B-2022]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Transport, (National Assembly), [Clause-by-clause Deliberations on the Railway Safety Bill [B 7-2021]; Consideration and adoption of Committee report on the Railway Safety Bill; Deliberations on the Marine Oil Pollution (Preparedness, Response and Cooperation) Bill [B10-2022]; Consideration and adoption of Committee fourth term programme; Consideration and adoption of minutes of proceedings], Committee Room M314, Third Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 10:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, (National Assembly), [Update by the Department of Home Affairs on Recommendations contained in the State Capture Report and outstanding queries raised by members of the Committee; Progress on permits without targets in the Annual Performance plan such as spousal permits], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the NLC on its first quarter financial and non-financial performance; Briefing by the Competition Commission on its Online Intermediation Platforms Market Inquiry Report; Consideration of the fourth term programme], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, (National Assembly), [Progress Report on State Capture Commission Recommendation by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, National Prosecuting Authority, and Special Investigative Unit], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30

Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, (National Assembly), [Consideration and Adoption of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (As Amended) [B 2B – 2022] and Committee Report; Presentation on and Updated Status Report on Examination Readiness 2023 by: Department of Basic Education; and Umalusi], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-12:30

Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, (National Assembly), [Consideration of the Climate Change Bill (B-list) [B9 – 2022]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-14:00

WEDNESDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2023

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Hearings on the unauthorised expenditures for the following departments/entities: Vote 34: Department of Minerals and Energy; Vote 40: Department of Transport; Vote 16: Department of Basic Education; Vote 20: Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities; Vote 22: Department of Correctional Services], Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00

Standing Committee on Finance, (National Assembly), [Public hearings on the 2023 Draft Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill (2023 Draft Rates Bill), 2023 Draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (2023 Drat TLAB) and 2023 Draft Tax Administration Laws Bill (2023 Draft TALAB)], Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [Quarterly expenditure and performance reports for SAPS for 2023/24 financial year – 1st quarter], Committee Room M201, Second Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Social Development, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Social Development on the first term quarterly report on the financial and non-financial performance for 2023/24 financial year (April – June 2023)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) on: turn-around strategy/plan to resolve the problems related to the new direct-payment system; delays in resolving student appeals and accreditation of student accommodation; plans to improve the information and communication technology (ICT) systems and plans to achieve day-zero of outstanding appeals and query resolution matters; Briefing by Tenet Technology, eZaga, Noracco Corporation and Coinvest Africa on their background and profile, contract with NSFAS, disbursement of allowances to students, challenges experienced and plans in place to address them; Consideration of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services on the listing of the Information Regulator, determination of benefits and conditions of service for members of the Information Regulator South Africa; Briefing by the Parliamentary Legal Services on the referral of a finding of gross misconduct against Judge NJ Motata; Shortlisting for the South African Human Rights Commission vacancies], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30

Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, (National Assembly), [Consideration and adoption of the Committee Report on the Climate Change Bill (B-list) [B9-2022]; Consideration and adoption of the Committee Report on the Climate Change Bill Provincial Public Hearings (B-list) [B9-2022]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-14:00

Select Committee on Public Enterprises and Communication, (National Council of Provinces), [Update briefing by the Department of Public Enterprises on progress made on the unbundling of Eskom to three divisions, namely generation, transmission and distribution; Consideration and Adoption of Minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

THURSDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2023

Joint Standing Committee on Defence, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Presentation of the Military Ombud 2022/23 Annual Report; Feedback on the backlog of Military Ombud cases lodged with the Minister of Defence; Consideration of outstanding minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:00-21:00

FRIDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2023

Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Briefing on Parliament's performance in the first quarter of 2023/24; Update on the restoration of the buildings affected by the January 2022 fire on the precinct: briefings by the Secretary to Parliament and/or Development Bank of Southern Africa; Consideration and adoption of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:30

Portfolio Committee on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, (National Assembly), [Briefing by Statistics South Africa on the tabled Statistics Amendment Bill, 2020], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:30-10:00

During the constituency period, MPs have a duty to: be available to the public, help solve problems and report back to their constituents on what is happening in Parliament.

NA CONSTITUENCY PERIOD: 26 SEPTEMBER – 9 OCTOBER

NCOP CONSTITUENCY PERIOD: 2 – 9 OCTOBER

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.

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