Even with a public holiday to compress the parliamentary week, there is a fair bit of action packed into the available three days.
In the NA chamber, the main event – scheduled for Wednesday - is the proposed resolution to remove the Speaker from office. She was the subject of a complaint from the Economic Freedom Fighters after the State of the Nation Address. The party argued that she did not behave fairly and impartially when she permitted security personnel to remove their members from the Cape Town City Hill during a demonstration against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
This is the first motion that the Speaker faces.
On the same day, legislators will debate Human Rights Day.
On Thursday, the Leader of Government Business will have his regular engagement with MPs when he appears to answer oral questions. This will be the new deputy president’s first engagement with Parliament.
These sessions happen once per term and are limited to six main and supplementary questions. In line with the broad tasks delegated to the Deputy President, he will be probed on a variety of issues.
Beyond this, lawmakers will consider the Second Adjustments Appropriation (2022/23 Financial Year) Bill and the Division of Revenue Bill, as well as the Leader of the Opposition's resolution to establish an ad hoc committee to investigate Eskom during the same sitting.
Elsewhere, the NCOP has scheduled one sitting day – Thursday – to debate the 2022 Taking Parliament to the People report and water infrastructure investment.
It’s a promising week in the Committee corridor, with a number of interesting and compelling meetings in prospect. Here is a run down of the highlights:
WEDNESDAY, 22 MARCH 2023
Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, (National Assembly), [Briefing by Public Service Commission on Implementation of the PSC recommendations; Adoption of the Sub-Committee report on the recommended Candidate selected to serve as Commissioner at the Public Service Commission], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:30-13:00
Standing Committee on Finance, (National Assembly), [Public hearings on the Financial Matters Amendment Bill [B20 – 2022] and the Municipal Fiscal Powers and Functions Amendment Bill [B21 – 2022]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-14:00 Portfolio Committee on Police, (National Assembly), [Implementation of the Rural Safety Strategy, including successes, challenges, capacitation of rural police stations and crimes predominately affecting rural areas], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00
Portfolio Committee on Social Development, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Social Development on the Policy on Linking of Social Grant Beneficiaries to Government Services], Zoom Virtual Platform, 09:00-13:00 Portfolio Committee on Health, (National Assembly), [NHI Bill: Deliberations on the Parliamentary Legal Advisor and the State Law Advisor’s inputs], Venue to be confirmed, 10:00-13:00
Select Committee on Security and Justice, (National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the Parliamentary Legal Advisor on the tagging of the Land Court Bill; Committee deliberation on the submissions to the Land Court Bill [B11B – 2021 (S75)]; Briefing by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on the Repeal of the Transkeian Penal Code Bill [B34-2022] (National Assembly – S75)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 14:30-16:30
THURSDAY, 23 MARCH 2023
Joint Standing Committee on Defence, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [NCACC Fourth Quarter Report and DCAC update on progress with the IT systems testing and engagement with the Defence Industry], Virtual Meeting Platform, 19:00-21:00
FRIDAY, 24 MARCH 2023
Select Committee on Appropriations, (National Council of Provinces), [Consideration and adoption of draft Committee Report on the Second Adjustments Appropriation (2022/23 Financial Year) Bill [B4 – 2023]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:00-09:15
Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, (National Assembly), [Briefing on the State of Environment Report: DFFE; Other key stakeholders; Identify the stakeholders that would like to make an input; Briefing on the State of Fisheries Report: DFFE; Other key stakeholders; Oral submissions on Climate Change Bill [B9-2022]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-16:00
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