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This week’s parliamentary programme includes international participation to the 143rd International Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Spain and the Common Wealth Parliamentary Association (CPA-Africa Region) Conference in Kigali-Rwanda, questions for oral replies to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Cabinet Ministers, plenary sittings of both Houses of Parliament, and 46 parliamentary committee meetings.
 
The Speaker of the National Assembly (NA), Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, will lead a Parliamentary delegation to the 143rd International Parliamentary Union (IPU) to Madrid, Spain from 26 - 30 November 2021. The IPU is the oldest and the largest international parliamentary platform. It provides a common and strategic forum for parliamentarians from 173 member countries to discuss matters of mutual interest including efforts to strengthen democratic parliaments.
 
Meanwhile, the National Council of Province's (NCOP’s) Chairperson, Mr Amos Masondo, will lead a parliamentary delegation to Kigali - Rwanda, to attend the 17th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference (CSPOC) from 22 - 28 November 2021.
The theme of the conference of the CPA-Africa Region’s Presiding Officers is “African Parliaments in the 21st Century” and will focus on, inter alia, fostering and encouraging impartiality and fairness of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments.
 
The second instalment of the joint webinar with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Parliament's role in children's development, continues on Monday at 10:00 following the first one that took place last Monday. Tomorrow’s discussion in the webinar session is on the topic: "Government's treaty and development responsibilities to children - the role of Parliament in ensuring compliance/strengthening of the system."
 
There are three hybrid plenary sessions scheduled for the NA this week. On Tuesday at 14:00, the National Assembly will hold a hybrid plenary sitting to consider several reports of the portfolio committees. The committees include the Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament which will consider a report on Parliament's performance in the 3rd and 4th quarters of the 2020/21 financial year. 
 
On Wednesday’s hybrid plenary session which will start at 15:00, the NA will consider the Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports (BRRRs) of the Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, on the performance of the Department of Public Works and its entities. In the same sitting, Ministers of cluster one, Peace and Security, will be in the NA to answer questions for oral replies from Members of Parliament. The cluster comprises the national departments of Police, Justice and Correctional Services, Defence and Military Veterans, International Relations and Cooperation, State Security and Home Affairs.
 
On Thursday at 14:00, President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to appear before the NA in a hybrid plenary session to respond to questions from Members of Parliament. The appearance of President Ramaphosa and Cabinet Ministers before the NA is in line with Section 92(2) of the Constitution, which stipulates that Cabinet Members are collectively and individually accountable to Parliament for the exercise of powers and performance of their functions.
 
The NCOP is also scheduled for three hybrid plenary sittings this week.
On Tuesday at 10:00, the NCOP will hold a Ministerial Briefing Session on the Fiscal and Economic Impact of the July 2021 public violence, looting and destruction of property, themed: "Measures to Mitigate against the Fiscal and Economic Impact of the recent Public Violence, Looting and Destruction of Property".
 
On Wednesday at 14:00, the permanent delegates to the NCOP will consider the Second Special Appropriations Bill [B 17 – 2021], and the Select Committee on Finance will table its report on the Revised Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals. There will also be a debate on "Positioning state owned enterprises as the main catalyst for growth and development in South Africa" in the same plenary.
 
On Thursday at 14:00, Cluster 2A Ministers which includes the Departments of Sports, Arts and Culture, Basic Education, Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Health, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, and Social Development, will appear for oral replies to the permanent delegates to the NCOP.
 
The programming committees of both Houses will, as usual, hold their meetings in the morning at 08:30 on Thursday. There are about forty-six (46) virtual committee meetings scheduled for this week.
 
TUESDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2021:
 
Joint Meeting: Standing Committee on Finance and Select Committee on Finance, the committee will consider and adopt its report on the 2021 Revised Fiscal Framework.
 
Joint Meeting: Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs and Select Committee on Security and Justice, the committees will receive briefings from the Department of Home Affairs on the Border Management Authority (BMA) roll-out plan and funding; and from the Content Advisor on the Committee Resolution Tracking Mechanism, and consider and adopt the BRRR for the 2021 financial year.
 
Portfolio Committee on Tourism: To consider its report on 2021 BRRR, its draft Fourth Quarter Performance Report for the 2020/21 financial year.
 
Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition: Will receive briefings from the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) and Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) on their annual reports for the 2020/21 financial year.
 
Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development: To consider and adopt its draft BRRR. 
 
Portfolio Committee on Communications: The committee will receive a briefing from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) on progress made on the implementation of Broadcast Digital Migration (BDM) policy.
 
Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy: To be briefed by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) on the recent High Court Judgement on the Mining Charter.
 
Standing Committee on Appropriations: To be briefed by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) and Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) on the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill [B19-2021] and on the Adjustments Appropriation Bill [B20-2021]].
 
Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture: Will be briefed by the Public Protector on an investigation into allegations of maladministration and improper conduct in connection with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into between the Gauteng Provincial Government and the Gauteng Horseracing Industry in 1997, which subsequently led to the corporatization of the horseracing industry in South Africa, and consider its BRRR.
 
Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries: The committee will be briefed on the review of Animal Welfare Act by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) and the Department of Agriculture, Land reform and Rural Development (DALRRD); and will also be briefed by the DALRRD on recommendations of the High-Level Panel Report on the management of lion, leopard and rhino.
 
Standing Committee on Public Accounts: To hold a hearing on Eskom deviations, expansions, investigations and annual report.
 
Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Water and Sanitation and Human Settlements: To hold a follow-up meeting on the Forensic Investigations in terms of Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act in Mpumalanga Local Municipalities.
 
Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour: To receive a briefing on the strategic and functional role and contribution of the Free State Provincial Department of Economic Development and Mangaung Economic Agencies to translate the Economic Reconstruction Recovery Plan in order to boost Economic Growth, Attract Investments and Boost Job Creation in the Free State Province.
 
Select Committee on Land Reform, Environment, Mineral Resources and Energy: The committee will receive a report back from the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development on its oversight visit to Limpopo. 
 
Select Committee on Health and Social Services: To be briefed by the Department of Social Development on its annual report for the 2020/21 financial year. 
 
WEDNESDAY, 24 NOVEMBER 2021:
 
Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation: The committee will receive briefings from the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), on its annual report on Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality, and from the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) on gender transformation at tertiary institutions for the 2019/20 financial year and on its monitoring of the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on gender-based violence and femicide.
 
Standing Committee on Finance: The committee will consider and adopt its reports on the Taxation Laws Amendment, Tax Administration Laws Amendment and the Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bills.
 
Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition: To deliberate on submissions received regarding the Copyright and the Performers’ Protection Amendment Bills.
 
Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure: The committee will consider responses to the Expropriation Bill (public inputs) by the Parliamentary Legal Adviser, the Department of Public Works & Infrastructure and the Office of the State Law Adviser.
 
Portfolio Committee on Police: To consider the 2020/21 annual report of the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA), financial statements and performance; Civilian Secretariat for Police Service: Legislation progress report on Legislation.
 
Standing Committee on Appropriations: To be briefed by the South African Local Government Association on the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill [B19- 2021], and to conduct public hearings on the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill [B19-2021].
 
Standing Committee on Public Accounts: To be briefed by the Minister of the Department of Employment and Labour on the progress regarding the implementation of corrective measures at the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and Compensation Fund.
 
Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration: To adopt draft BRRRs for the budget votes of the Department of Public Service and Administration; National School of Government; the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation; Public Service Commission, and Statistics South Africa.
 
Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development, Portfolio Committee on Health, Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, and the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements: To consider and adopt BRRRs and oversight reports.
 
Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure: To consider and adopt the Civil Aviation Amendment Bill [B 44B – 2018].
 
Select Committee on Public Enterprises and Communications: To be briefed by Alexkor on the stabilization of the Community Property Association (CPA) leadership and the completion of the implementation of outstanding matters arising from the Deed of Settlement.
 
Select Committee on Education and Technology, Sport, Arts and Culture: To be briefed by the Department of Science and Innovation on its annual report and financial statements for the 2020/21 financial year.
 
THURSDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2021:
 
Select Committee on Appropriations: To be briefed by National Treasury on the 2021 Division of Revenue Amendment Bill and 2021 Adjustments Appropriation Bill.
 
Joint Standing Committee on Defence: To get an update on operational status on the status of the ongoing SANDF missions (Operations Prosper, Corona, Vikela, Copper and Mistral), and to be briefed by Netstar and Tracker on challenges faced with respect to vehicle smuggling along South Africa’s land borders and related co-operation with the SANDF deployed in those areas.
 
FRIDAY, 26 NOVEMBER 2021:
 
Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition, to consider formally the Copyright and the Performers’ Protection Amendment Bills, and the Standing Committee on Appropriations: To consider and adopt its draft report on the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill [B19-2021].
 
Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament: Will receive a briefing on Parliament’s 2021/22 mid-year performance report. On Strategic Planning Workshop, the committee will receive a preparatory briefing from its content adviser, and it will consider Parliament’s 2020/21 annual report.

Issued by the Parliament of SA