The Week Ahead: Mini-plenaries & Debates

It’s the final week of the parliamentary term for National Council of Provinces (NCOP) delegates. Meanwhile, National Assembly (NA) MPs will sit for a further week and commence their constituency break on 3 October 2022.

There is a mixture of routine and important parliamentary business in both the NA and the NCOP.

There are two mini-plenaries scheduled on Thursday. They serve as breakaway sessions of the NA. According to the rules, any matter may be discussed or debated in a mini-plenary session. This mechanism provides an opportunity for the House to debate a particular topic without having to take a decision at the end of the debate.

Mini-plenary 1: Subject for discussion (Ms E L Powell, DA): Solutions to address the crisis of the ongoing illegal land invasions in the Republic Subject for discussion (Mr T N Mmutle, ANC): The need for a revised and strengthened regulatory environment to protect the territorial integrity of military bases and associated institutions

Mini-plenary 2: Subject for discussion (Mr K E Magaxa, ANC): Building a state-led South African mixed economy, with the participation of both public and private sectors, to contribute towards a new trajectory of inclusive growth and to address the Apartheid legacy of exclusion Subject for discussion (Ms B S Masango,DA): Solutions to address the worsening cost of living crisis in the Republic.

The other major plenary event is Tuesday’s annual debate to mark Heritage Day. The theme this year is: Celebrating the legacy of Solomon Linda and South Africa’s indigenous music. Oral questions form part of a suite of oversight mechanisms available to MPs to hold members of the Executive to account. On Wednesday, select Ministers that fall within the economic cluster will be answering oral questions in the NA. View the Questions

Over in the NCOP, lawmakers will participate in a two-day Policy Implementation and Legislative Review Summit, under the theme: “Assessing Progress Made in implementing the Developmental Agenda - Accelerating Implementation of the NDP (Vision 2030)”.

The focus for Wednesday’s sitting is the consideration of the Financial Sector and Deposit Insurance Levies Bill, Financial Sector and Deposit Insurance Levies (Administration) Bill and the debate on Indigent Support: Subsidisation of basic services to indigent households.

Beyond this, there are two Women’s Charter Report Back sessions scheduled. The first one is at the start of the week –on Monday - in the Eastern Cape and the second is on Friday in Mpumalanga.

Here is a rundown of the highlights in the Committee corridor TUESDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2022

Portfolio Committee on Tourism, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the South African Police Service (SAPS) on national intervention to attacks on long distance bus operators which has implications for domestic tourism and destination South Africa;], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, (National Assembly), [Follow-up meeting with municipalities in the North West province on issues raised during the Committees’ 2021 oversight visit], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:30

Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Congolese Society of South Africa on the Memorandum submitted to Parliament; Briefing by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on migrant issues including the opening of refugee offices, statelessness and the backlog project; Briefing by the Content Advisor on the submissions received on the re-advertisement of the Electoral Amendment Bill on additional definitions and clauses], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, (National Assembly), [Oral submissions on Climate Change Bill [B9-2022]; Overview on the Climate Change Bill and the purpose of the public hearings], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-14:00

Ad-Hoc Joint Committee on Flood Disaster Relief and Recovery, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [First consideration of the Ad Hoc Committee on Flood Disaster Relief & Recovery], Venue to be confirmed, 18:00-21:00

WEDNESDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2022

Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [Consideration and adoption of public participation report; Clause by Clause on the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Amendment Bill [B15-2022]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Limpopo Economic Development and Tourism Department on the development and plans for the Musina-Makhado SEZ, briefing by the Limpopo Development Agency on the development and plans for the Seshego and Nkowankowa Industrial Parks], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Committee for Section 194 Enquiry, (National Assembly), [Public hearings: Day 29 – Ms Nelisiwe Thejane / Mr Cornelius van der Merwe to appear before the Committee], Hybrid Meeting (Virtual Meeting Platform / Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building), 09:00-17:00

Portfolio Committee on Health, (National Assembly), [Clause by clause deliberations on the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill], Committee Room S12A/Hybrid, 10:00-12:50

Subcommittee on the Review of the National Assembly Rules, [Consideration of matters referred by the Rules Committee], Virtual Meeting Platform, 12:00-14:00

THURSDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2022

Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, (National Assembly), [Continuation of interviews for candidates in the filling of vacancies in the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE)], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, 09:00-13:00

Ad-Hoc Joint Committee on Flood Disaster Relief and Recovery, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Consideration and adoption of the Ad Hoc Joint Committee on Flood Disaster Relief & Recovery Report], Venue to be confirmed, 18:00-19:00

FRIDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2022

Committee for Section 194 Enquiry, (National Assembly), [Public Hearings: Day 30 – Mr Cornelius van der Merwe to appear before the Committee], Hybrid Meeting (Virtual Meeting Platform / Committee Room M46, Ground Floor, Marks Building), 09:00-17:00

Select Committee on Finance, (National Council of Provinces), [Responses by National Treasury and FIC on the public submissions on the Draft Amendment of Schedules 1, 2 and 3 to the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, 2001 (Act No 38 of 2001) submitted in terms of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act and line by line consideration of the schedules], Virtual Meeting Platform, 16:30

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. View the provincial legislature's schedule 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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