The week ahead: Parliament's second term kicks off

Parliament resumes this week after a two week break. The second term is expected to run for five weeks and the programme is packed with activities. Some of the highlights include oversight and legislation work, Questions to the President and the Executive, Women’s month celebration and the National Council of Province’s provincial week. President Zuma submitted his reply to the Speaker about the security upgrades at his Nkandla residence last Thursday. This issue will probably be the defining subject for the legislature for the next while as many people speculate when the ad hoc committee (to deal with the matter) will be constituted, who will sit on it and what its mandate will be.

On Tuesday, the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education will receive a briefing on the incremental introduction of African Languages at schools.

The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services & Portfolio Committee on Women in the Presidency will interact with the South African Human Rights Commission; Office of the Public Protector; Commission for Gender Equality and Public Service Commission on their functions and mandates.

The South African National Roads Agency Limited will brief the Portfolio Committee on Transport on its current and future projects. This is especially important given the controversy around e-tolling.

The Electoral Commission will make a presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on its role and mandates as well as issues requiring immediate attention. The recent Constitutional Court finding against the Commission’s chairperson and claims of bias are likely to surface.

On Wednesday, Parliament has organised a joint sitting to debate Women’s Day. The Portfolio Committee on Labour and the Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform will discuss the national minimum wage and the reopening of the lodgement of land claims respectively.

On Thursday, the focus shifts to President Zuma as he is scheduled to answer questions in the National Assembly. The Public Protector’s report and his subsequent reply, the National Development Plan, and the terms of reference and the time frame for the investigation into whether National Prosecuting Authority director Mxolisi Nxasana is fit to hold office are some of the issues that the President will be probed on.

On the legislative side, National Treasury and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) will report back to MPs on submissions received for the DBSA Amendment Bill. Call for written submissions on the Legal Aid Bill expires on Wednesday.

The Standing Committee on Finance invited stakeholders and interested parties to submit written submissions on the following Bills - the Draft Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill, Draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill and Draft Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill. The deadline to submit comments is this Friday.

See the full list of committee meetings here.