The Week Ahead: President Ramaphosa & Budget Vote Debates

Following the parliamentary committee hearings on the 2023/24 priorities, targets and spending plans of departments, the focus shifts to the budget vote debates which commence this week and run until 1 June 2023.

These debates happen in the mini-plenary sittings of the National Assembly and are headlined by Ministers, their deputies, party leaders and senior MPs.

The debates allow for Parliament, and the public, to be updated about what departments are doing, how they are performing, and exactly how public money is being used.

Each debate lasts about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Due to the tight schedule, multiple budget vote debates take place simultaneously. There are 8 debates scheduled this week. A few of the standout ones include Health, Human Settlements, Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Employment and Labour and International Relations and Cooperation.

After each vote has been debated, each House (NA + NCOP) must vote on the whole budget.

The Budget must be passed by Parliament before the end of June, in line with statutory requirements.

See: Budget Vote debates schedule

Question Time is a major highlight in both chambers. It is an established part of the programme and one of the ways Parliament scrutinises the work of government and holds it accountable.

On Thursday, President Ramaphosa will have to answer a variety of questions in the National Assembly, while on Tuesday, select Ministers in the Economic Cluster will do the same in the NCOP.

Beyond this, the NCOP will consider the Division of Revenue Bill on Wednesday and the following day’s plenary agenda includes legislation and a policy debate.

There is a lot of interesting action in Committee-land, with a few Cabinet Ministers set to make appearances. Also, it's still raining reports as Committees push to finalise their budget vote reports. Here is a run down of the highlights:

MONDAY, 8 MAY 2023

Committee for Section 194 Enquiry, (National Assembly), [Hearing day 62: Evidence of Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane], Hybrid (Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building & Virtual Meeting Platform), 10:00-17:00

TUESDAY, 9 MAY 2023

Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, (National Assembly), [Consideration and adoption of the outstanding minutes; Briefing by the Department of the Home Affairs on policy on the consequential amendments to the Electoral Amendment Bill; Briefing by the DHA on the status of the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) and Biometric Movement Control System (BCMS)], Virtual Meeting Platform, 08:30-13:00

Standing Committee on Finance, (National Assembly), [Response by National Treasury to submissions received on the Financial Matters Amendment Bill [B20 – 2022] and the Municipal Fiscal Powers and Functions Amendment Bill [B21 – 2022]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Transport, (National Assembly), [Deliberations on the Railway Safety Bill: Department of Transport responses to the written and oral submissions made during the provincial public hearings on the Bill; Deliberations on the Railway Safety Bill [B 7-2021]; Consideration and adoption of Committee’s revised Strategic Plan and 2023/24 Annual Performance Plan; Consideration and adoption of minutes of proceedings], Committee Room M201, Second Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, (National Assembly), [Update by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) and Eskom on the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant’s Long Term Operations; Consideration and adoption of outstanding minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-13:00

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Briefing by Hawks, SAPS, SIU on allegations of corrupt and fraudulent activities and other maladministration issues at Eskom as reported by the former Group Chief Executive of Eskom], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:00-13:30

Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, (National Assembly), [Virtual Oral submissions on Climate Change Bill [B9-2022]], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00

Select Committee on Appropriations, (National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by National Treasury on the: (i) Appropriation Bill [B3 – 2023]; and (ii) Eskom Debt Relief Bill [B5 – 2023]; Consideration of draft Minutes of previous meeting], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

Committee for Section 194 Enquiry, (National Assembly), [Hearing day 63: Evidence of Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane], Hybrid (Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building & Virtual Meeting Platform), 10:00-17:00

WEDNESDAY, 10 MAY 2023

Standing Committee on Appropriations, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Water and Sanitation on the 2023 Appropriation Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Select Committee on Security and Justice, (National Council of Provinces), [Consideration and adoption of Legal Practice Council Regulations: Draft Regulations for approval, in terms of section 94(1) of the Legal Practice Act, 2014 (Act No 28 of 2014); and Draft Regulations for approval, submitted in terms of section 94(3) of the Legal Practice Act, 2014 (Act No 28 of 2014); Briefing by the Parliamentary Legal Advisor on the passage of the Constitution 18th Amendment Bill [B1 – 2023] (Sign language) through Parliament; Briefing on IPID APP and Budget; Briefing on CSPS APP and Budget], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:00-12:00

Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) on the Revised Strategic Plan 2020 – 2025 and Annual Performance Plan 2023/24], Venue to be confirmed, 09:00-15:00

Portfolio Committee on Health, (National Assembly), [Deliberations on legal opinions on the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill presented by State Law Advisers and Parliamentary legal services; Clause by clause deliberations on the NHI Bill; Consideration and adoption of minutes], Virtual Platform Meeting, 09:30-13:00

Standing Committee on Public Accounts, (National Assembly), [Briefing by Eskom Board regarding the ex-GCEO (Mr. Andre de Ruyter) on allegations regarding corruption, theft, maladministration, sabotage, lack of consequence management, cartels, and other financial irregularities at ESKOM], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 09:30-13:30

Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the Department of Public Enterprises on the annual performance plan 2023/24 of the Department of Public Enterprises and shareholder compacts for state-owned companies], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00

Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, (National Assembly), [Briefing by Armscor on its Corporate Plan and Budget for 2023/24; Briefing by DMV on its Annual Performance Plan and Budget for 2023/24; Consideration and adoption of outstanding Minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-13:00

Committee for Section 194 Enquiry, (National Assembly), [Hearing day 64: Evidence of Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane], Hybrid (Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building & Virtual Meeting Platform), 10:00-17:00

Ad-Hoc Joint Committee on Flood Disaster Relief and Recovery, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Consideration and adoption of the draft programme; Briefing by the support personnel: Status update report from departments and provinces; Follow-up issues emanating from the report of the previous Ad-Hoc Joint Committee], Virtual Meeting Platform, 13:00-14:00

THURSDAY, 11 MAY 2023

Committee for Section 194 Enquiry, (National Assembly), [Hearing day 65: Evidence of Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane], Hybrid (Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building & Virtual Meeting Platform), 10:00-17:00

Joint Standing Committee on Defence, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Briefing by the Minister of Defence and SANDF Chief of Staff on the level of satisfaction with services rendered by Denel and efforts to improve cooperation; Consideration of outstanding minutes], Virtual Meeting Platform, 18:00-21:00

FRIDAY, 12 MAY 2023

Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament, (National Assembly and National Council of Provinces), [Update on the restoration of the buildings affected by the January 2022 fire on the precinct including visit to the affected buildings; and the sites made available to accommodate affected parliamentarians and employees; as well as on the renovation and/or upgrading of technical equipment committee meeting venues: briefings by the Secretary to Parliament and/or the Development Bank of Southern Africa; Consideration and adoption of minutes: 5 May 2023], Committee Room M514, Fifth Floor, Marks Building, Parliament, 08:30-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Health, (National Assembly), [Presentation by the Legal Team on the A-List of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill; Deliberations on the A-List of the NHI Bill], Virtual Meeting Platform, 09:30-13:00

Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, (National Assembly), [Briefing by the CIPC on its 2023/24 Strategic and Annual Performance Plan (APP); Formal consideration of the Budget Vote Report], Virtual Meeting Platform, 10:00-12:00

Committee for Section 194 Enquiry, (National Assembly), [Hearing day 66: Questions to Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane by Evidence Leaders], Hybrid (Committee Room S12A, Ground Floor, NCOP Building & Virtual Meeting Platform), 10:00-17:00

Committees provide a platform for the public to present views directly to MPs. Share your thoughts, on-the-ground experience, and expert information with 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.

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