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With Minister of Finance Mr Pravin Gordhan scheduled to deliver the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) and introduce the Adjustments Appropriation Bill tomorrow, it is not surprising that budget-related issues dominate committee meetings this week.

Of the 47 scheduled committee meetings so far, 24 are either to finalise Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports (BRRR) on departments over which the committees have oversight or to deliberate on annual or quarterly expenditure reports of departments or entities.

Minister Gordhan is also scheduled tomorrow to introduce the Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment Revenue Laws Bill, the Taxation Laws Amendment Bill and the Finance Bill in the National Assembly (NA). On Thursday, he is scheduled to brief a joint meeting of the Standing and Select Committees on Appropriations and Finance on the MTBPS. These committees will be part of the MTBPS lock-up tomorrow.

Today’s plenary sitting of the NA will consider a motion of condolences for Mr BA Nesi, who passed away earlier this month, a statement by Minister of Higher Education and Training Mr Blade Nzimande on update on current developments in universities and a subject for discussion – South African jurisprudence: sitting comfortably with the Constitution or the need for change aligned with principles and values of Constitution. On Thursday, the NA will consider BRRR and other reports. Members’ statements and notices of motion are also on the agenda today and on Thursday.

National Council of Provinces (NCOP) plenary sittings will consider answers from the President to questions for oral reply today and, on Thursday, answers from Economic Cluster Ministers (Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Environmental Affairs; Mineral Resources; Rural Development and Land Reform; Tourism; Trade and Industry).

Five committees are scheduled to deal with bills this week:

• Unemployment Insurance Amendment Bill (consideration of written submissions and identifying stakeholders for oral presentations at public hearings – Select Committee on Economic and Business Development, today
• National Land Transport Amendment Bill and Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Amendment Bill – Response to written submission on National Land Transport Amendment Bill from Department of Transport Portfolio to Committee on Transport and Committee to deliberate on Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Amendment Bill, today
• Border Management Authority Bill – Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, today
• Rates and Monetary Amounts Amendment Bill and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill; schedules of Financial Sector Regulation Bill – Standing Committee on Finance, today
• Court of Law Amendment Bill – Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services deliberates on bill, Wednesday and Friday

Other issues on committees’ agendas include:

• Renewable energy (IPP reduction of carbon emissions) – Briefing by Department of Environmental Affairs and Eskom to Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs, today
• Improving Department of Public Works delivery to client departments and municipalities – Briefing from department to Portfolio Committee on Public Works, today
• Department of Basic Education’s Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign and National Education Evaluation and Development Unit – Briefing from department to Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, today
• Heritage Foundation forensic report and legal standing of PanSALB – Briefing to Portfolio Committee on Arts and Vulture from South African Heritage Resources Agency (forensic report); Office on Institutions Supporting Democracy and Parliamentary Legal Service (PanSALB legal standing), today
• Investigative report on Maiden Bursary – Briefing from Commission on Gender Equality and Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to joint meeting of Portfolio Committee on Women in the Presidency and Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, today
•  Implementation of New Growth Path – Briefing from Minister of Economic Development to Portfolio Committee on Economic Development, today
• Implementation of Special Economic Zones – Briefing to Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry from the Trade and Industry Department, today
• Amended alien invasive species listing, regulations on appointing an authority to register environmental assessment practitioners, draft regulations for registration of professional hunters, hunting outfitters and trainers, Paris COP21 agreement – Briefings from Department of Environmental Affairs to Select Committee on Land and Mineral Resources, today
• Oversight visit to Pollsmoor Maximum Prison – Select Committee  on Security and Justice, Wednesday
• Petition from House of Traditional Leaders requesting National Council of Provinces (NCOP) intervention on alleged failure of national and provincial government to recognise Provincial House of Traditional Leaders in Western Cape; Petition from Ga-Sekhaolelo Community requesting NCOP intervention in relocation agreement entered into between Anglo Platinum and the community – Select Committee on Petitions and Executive Undertakings to consider these petitions, Wednesday
• Pending legal cases and lessons learned from court cases on mining laws – Department of Mineral Resources briefing to Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources, Wednesday
• Filling Human Rights Commission vacancies – Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, Wednesday
• Shortlisting candidates for Public Service Commission – Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, Wednesday
• Progress on Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 2 – Briefing from Department of Water and Sanitation to Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, Wednesday
• Indigenous Knowledge Systems policy – Department of Arts and Culture briefing to Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture about department’s mandate, programmes and activities to fulfil responsibilities related to this policy, Wednesday
• How will selling spectrum benefit government and the people of South Africa? – Independent Communications Authority of South Africa to brief Select Committee on Communications and Public Enterprises, Wednesday
• SA National Defence Force procurement processes – Briefing from Chief Logistics to Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans on SANDF procurement processes based committee’s 19 to 23 September oversight visit, Wednesday
• National Disability Policy – Department of Social Development briefing to Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Wednesday

Issued by Parliament of the Republic of South Africa