The Week Ahead: Question Time & Budget-related matters

There are five weeks left until Parliament rises for the year.

In the remaining days, lawmakers are scheduled to vote on several Bills, approve government spending, hold debates, scrutinise government performance, conduct oversight visits, consider statutory appointments and instruments and finalise assorted Committee Reports.

Question time is the main business in both chambers this week. The practice of oral questions is an established part of the parliamentary day and gives MPs an opportunity to question the Executive about matters for which they are responsible.

Everything from specific scandals and programmes to big-picture policy to bread-and-butter issues and performance will be under the microscope. Generally, governing party MPs and the opposition have different objectives when it comes to these engagements: the former tends to provide the Executive with an opportunity to put government policies and actions in a favourable light while the latter aims to do the opposite.

For all its limitations, this is usually an occasion of heightened interest and can sometimes be revealing.

In the National Assembly, Questions to select ministers in the Peace and Security Cluster and the Deputy President will take place on Wednesday and Thursday\ respectively.

In the NCOP, Questions for Oral Reply with select ministers in the Peace and Security Cluster is the only agenda on Tuesday. View the questions here

The statement by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict is the main highlight of Tuesday’s NA plenary.

In addition, the NA has scheduled mini-plenaries on Friday to consider assorted committee reports. Meanwhile, NCOP delegates will hold a debate on Thursday on measures to combat Protection Fee Syndicates and Business Extortion.

Beyond this, several committees will be holding provincial public hearings or conducting oversight visits this week.

These are the highlights in the Committee Corridor:

TUESDAY, 7 NOVEMBER 2023

Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance, Standing Committee on Appropriations, Select Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) and the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) on the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour, (National Council of Provinces), [Social Compact to tackle grand social and economic challenges; The Committee to receive progress report in relation to the components of the social compact from Social Partners-Government, Business, Trade Union Movement and civil society; Presentation by Nedlac, and critical role players would be received by the Committee; Consideration and adoption of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Council for Scientific and Industry Research (CSIR) on the development of the IT system for the Department of Home Affairs for the five (5) offices to address the network challenges], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, (National Assembly), [Deliberation/finalisation on the SAPO Amendment Bill [B 11-2023]; Briefing by the SABC on its Corporate Plan; Adoption of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Select Committee on Health and Social Services, (National Council of Provinces), [Consideration of the Submissions on the NHI Bill [B11B-2019], sec 76 and the responses to submissions by the Department of Health; Consideration and Adoption of Committee Minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, (National Assembly), [Deliberations on the Companies A/Bs], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, (National Assembly), [Deliberations of the National Youth Development Amendment Bill [B13-2022]; Consideration and adoption of the Committee’s report on Motion of Desirability; Consideration and adoption of the public inputs report on the Bill; Consideration and adoption of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Update briefing with Eskom on development regarding Committee recommendations], Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:30-14:00

WEDNESDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2023

Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the University of Cape Town on the findings and recommendations of the Independent Panel (IP) of investigation into matters pertaining to governance at the institution and action taken to implement the recommendations], University of Cape Town (UCT), Rondebosch, 09:00

Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Finance, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Public hearings on the Revised Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Briefing by National Treasury on the following: 2023 Division of Revenue Amendment Bill; 2023 Adjustments Appropriation Bill; and 2023 Eskom Debt Relief Amendment Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [Consideration and adoption of public participation report, Further Committee deliberations on the Independent Investigative Directorate Amendment Bill [B21-2023], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure, (National Council of Provinces), [Negotiating Mandates: Economic Regulation of Transport Bill [B 1B-20 (s76)]; National Road Traffic A/B [B 7B-2020] (sec 76)]; National Land Transport A/B [B 7F –2016] (sec 76)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, (National Assembly), [Adoption of the Public Hearings Report on the Public Administration Management Amendment Bill [B10 - 2023]; Report on the Motion of Desirability of the Bill for Public Administration Management Amendment Bill [B10 - 2023]; Consideration and deliberations of the Bill, clause by clause by the Committee], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-12:15

Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, (National Assembly), [Briefing by Transnet on annual report and financial statements for 2022/23 financial year], Committee Room M515, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 10:00

Select Committee on Security and Justice, (National Council of Provinces), [Consideration and adoption of the Committee Report on the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill [B9B-2018] (National Assembly – sec 75); Briefing by the Ministry and Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on the Divorce Amendment Bill [B 22 – 2023] (National Assembly – section 75); Briefing by the Ministry and Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Amendment Bill [B28B – 2023] (National Assembly – section 75)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Briefing on Parliament’s revised 2023/24 budget; Briefing on Parliament’s 2024/25 draft annual performance plan and budget; Consideration and adoption of minutes and reports], Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:30-20:30

THURSDAY, 9 NOVEMBER 2023

Joint Standing Committee on Defence, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Chief of the Reserves and Minister of Defence: Feedback on the Reserve Force Indaba; Chief of the Reserves presentation on his view of and future plans for the Reserve Force over the medium-term; Consideration and adoption of outstanding minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:00-21:00

FRIDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 2023

Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Briefing on the Parliamentary Budget Office’s 2022/23 Annual Report; Consideration and adoption of minutes and reports], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:00-11:00

Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [Clause by Clause consideration of the Independent Directorate Amendment Bill [B21-2023]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:00-10:00

Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Finance, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Response by National Treasury and SARS to the submissions received on the Revised Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

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.

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