The Week Ahead: It’s a wrap for 2023

It’s a week of farewells and loose ends…

The constituency and leave period beckons, with MPs due to depart this week and return to Parliament next year. But a fair amount of work will be done before they go.

The final week is ending on a dramatic note, and this is becoming something of a tradition.

In 2022, lawmakers considered the report of the section 89 Independent Panel which determined that the President may have committed a serious violation of the law and misconduct in terms of the Constitution.

In 2021, they considered legislation aimed at amending section 25 of the Constitution.

In 2020, there was a motion of no-confidence debate against President Ramaphosa.

This year, the big question is whether the debate and vote - scheduled for Wednesday - on the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will go ahead. The House was supposed to consider this item last week, but it was pulled from the programme at the eleventh hour without any reason. The Bill has been controversial with business saying it is ‘totally irresponsible’ to adopt the NHI Bill in its current form and others threatening legal action.

In addition, Parliament will conclude its processing of the mini-budget this week.

In the NA, the House has scheduled all-day sittings on Tuesday and Wednesday. The focus will be on legislation, a statutory appointment, and assorted committee reports.

Over in the NCOP, the Deputy President will deliver his annual address to the NCOP)on Tuesday under the theme: “Accelerating the provision of social services, safety and the advancement of economic reforms for economic recovery in the interest of the people.”

The NCOP will also hold plenary sessions on Thursday and Friday where the focus is on assorted reports and legislation.

Both Houses will round off their programmes with farewell speeches.

There are several interesting meetings in the committee corridor. Here is a rundown of the highlights:

MONDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2023

Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Committee Secretary on the Draft Programme to process the Electoral Matters Amendment Bill, 2023; Consideration and adoption of the draft report on the establishment of the Electoral Reform Consultation Panel; Comments, suggestions, and consideration of the draft Legacy Report of the 6th Parliament], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Standing Committee on Finance, (National Assembly), [Consideration and adoption of Committee report on the Public Procurement Bill [B18 – 2023]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

TUESDAY, 5 DECEMBER 2023

Ad Hoc Committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the National Intelligence Coordinating Committee (NICOC) on its input into the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill (GILAB); Briefing by the Office for Interception Centres (OIC) on its input into GILAB; Briefing by the Designated Judge for Interception on input into GILAB [B40 - 2023]; Consideration and adoption of outstanding minutes], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 08:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, (National Assembly), [Presentation on the submission by SARB; Response by Statistics SA on the submission by SARB; Parliament Constitutional and Legal Services response on the constitutionality of the Bill; Consideration and deliberations of the Bill; Report on the motion of desirability of the Bill and clause by clause by the Committee], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:00-16:00

Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development, (National Assembly) [Consideration and adoption of B-Bill of the National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill [B16-2023]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:30-10:00

Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture on the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport Amendment Bill, 2023], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Consideration and Adoption of the draft reports on the following: Adjustments Appropriation Bill [B34-2023]; Eskom Debt Relief Amendment Bill [B38-2023]; and 2023 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement], 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), [Briefing by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition on the Companies Amendment Bill [B 27B-2023], and Companies Second Amendment Bill [B 26B-2023]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, (National Assembly), [Formal deliberations and finalisation of the Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Bill [B14-2021] and Deeds Registries Amendment Bill [B28-2022]; Consideration and adoption of the outstanding Committee minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

WEDNESDAY, 6 DECEMBER 2023

Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, (National Assembly), [Consideration and adoption of B10A and B13A list of the bills; Consideration and adoption of the B10B and B13B Bills as amended; Committee report on the Bills (for Public Administration Management Amendment Bill [B10 - 2023] and Public Service Amendment Bill [B13 - 2023]; Consideration and adoption of the Public Service Commission Bill [B30-2023] advert], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-10:00

Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure, (National Council of Provinces), [Consideration of Final Mandates: Economic Regulation of Transport Bill [B 1B-2020] (s76); Negotiating Mandates: Expropriation Bill [B 23B-2020] (sec 76)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00

THURSDAY, 7 DECEMBER 2023

Ad Hoc Committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the South African Police Service – Crime Intelligence (SAPS-CI) on its input into the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill (GILAB); Briefing by Defence Intelligence (DI) on its input into GILAB; Briefing by the Office of the Inspector – General of Intelligence (OIGI) on its input into GILAB [B40 - 2023]], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 08:00-13:00

Select Committee on Appropriations, (National Council of Provinces), [Consideration and adoption of Reports on: 2023 Adjustments Appropriation Bill; Proposed division of revenue and conditional grants allocations to Provinces and Local Government; and 2023 Eskom Debt Relief Amendment Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

Select Committee on Public Enterprises and Communication, (National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the Department of Public Enterprises on progress made with regard to the implementation of the Zondo Commission Recommendations report; Consideration and Adoption of Minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

FRIDAY, 8 DECEMBER 2023

Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Consideration and adoption of: Committee minutes, Committee reports including JSCFMP 2023 Annual Report, Committee’s 2024 first term programme, Draft Sixth Parliament Legacy Report], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:00-08:45

Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) on the state of readiness for the 2024 academic year; Consideration of minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

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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.

The constituency period is an extended one. During this 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.

CONSTITUENCY PERIOD: 11 – 14 DECEMBER 2023 LEAVE PERIOD: 18 DECEMBER – 5 JANUARY 2024

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