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The Vote of No Confidence debate against the National Assembly (NA) Speaker, Questions to the Deputy President, Debates on Human Rights Day, the National Council of Provinces’ (NCOP) Taking Parliament to the people and Water Infrastructure Investment are among the key items in Parliament’s programme this week.

The NA will, on Wednesday at 3 pm, hold a debate on the proposed motion for the removal of the Speaker, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula from office in terms of Section 52(4) of the Constitution and National Assembly Rule 28.

The motion, brought by the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, flows from her ruling during the 2023 State of the Nation Address for the EFF Members to leave the Chamber, after defying NA Speaker’s directive to refrain from raising frivolous points of orders. The EFF Members instead jumped on the stage and charged towards the podium where the President was sitting, causing the Speaker to call for security services to remove them. The debate will take place at the Cape Town City Hall. The Inter-Parliamentary Union Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians ruled that the complaint by the EFF on the same matter was inadmissible. The committee of the multilateral body of world parliaments held its meeting in Bahrain last week. NA will at the same sitting also hold a debate on human rights.

The newly appointed Deputy President, Mr. Paul Mashatile will, on Thursday at 2 pm, appear before NA in a hybrid plenary sitting to answer Questions for Oral Reply from Members of Parliament (MPs). Holding regular question-and-answer sessions is one way in which Parliament, as provided by section 92(2) of the Constitution, holds the Executive to account.

Other items on the agenda at this NA sitting include, the consideration of reports of the Standing Committee on Appropriations on Division of Revenue Bill and Second Adjustments Appropriation (2022/23 Financial Year) Bill, as well as the decision of Question on Draft Resolution of the Leader of the Opposition on establishment of an ad hoc committee in terms of Rule 253 to inquire into the full extent of the alleged widespread corruption and unabated operations of criminal networks and cartels at Eskom.

Meanwhile, the NCOP will on Thursday at 2 pm convene a plenary sitting to debate the Taking Parliament to the People oversight programme, which was held in the Ugu District Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal from 14 to 18 November 2022. The NCOP will, at the same sitting, also hold a debate on Water Infrastructure Investment under the theme: “Building viable water Infrastructure for Sustainable and Reliable Water to Communities”

On the international front, Parliament is taking part in the Second International Parliamentary Conference “Russia-Africa” which started on the 18 to 21 March in Moscow, Russia. The conference is attended by more than 40 high-ranking delegations from various African states alongside their Russian counterparts.

There are about 24 scheduled committee meetings of both Houses this week, and are as follows:

WEDNESDAY, 22 MARCH 2023

Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration (Sub-Committee), (National Assembly), to meet for deliberations and adoption of the report on the recommendation for a candidate selected to serve as Commissioner for the Public Service Commission], Virtual Meeting

Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Engagement on the state of Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality by: Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality, Capricorn District Municipality, Office of the Auditor-General Limpopo, Provincial Treasury and Coghsta, SALGA and Department of Cooperative Governance], Virtual Meeting Platform

Portfolio Committee on Police, meeting on the implementation of the Rural Safety Strategy, including successes, challenges, capacitation of rural police stations and crimes predominately affecting rural areas

Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure, Briefing from the Department of Transport on the National Road Traffic Amendment Bill [B7B – 2020] (s76); Briefing by the Department of Transport on the National Land Transport Amendment Bill [B 7F -2016] (sec 76)]

Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Briefing from the Department of Social Development on the Policy on Linking of Social Grant Beneficiaries to Government Services;

Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Briefing on the progress report by the Housing Development Agency and PPRA on the implementation of the AGSA recommendations; Progress report on the implementation FLISP Programme],

Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, Briefing by the Department of Public Works & Infrastructure (DPWI) and Property Management Trading Entity (PMTE) on the 2023/24 Annual Performance Plans; Briefing by the Agreement SA on its 2023/24 Annual Performance Plan; Briefing by the Council for the Built Environment (CBE);

Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development, briefing on the 2022/23 Quarter Three Performance Reports by the Department of Small Business Development; Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) and Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda); Consideration and Adoption of minutes],

Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour, Budget Review – Nedlac and the Productivity SA on their Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans;

Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Briefing by the Department on all completed ARF projects since 2019 to date;

Select Committee on Public Enterprises and Communication, Briefing by Sentech on the entity’s financial sustainability and challenges in supporting community radio and broadcasting stations;

Select Committee on Security and Justice, 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)];

THURSDAY, 23 MARCH 2023

Joint Standing Committee on Defence, NCACC Fourth Quarter Report and DCAC update on progress with the IT systems. testing and engagement with the Defence Industry; Consideration and adoption of the JSCD 2022 Annual Report;

FRIDAY, 24 MARCH 2023

Select Committee on Appropriations, meeting for Consideration and adoption of draft Committee Report on the Second Adjustments Appropriation (2022/23 Financial Year) Bill [B4 – 2023];

Joint Standing Committee on Financial Management of Parliament, meeting for the adoption of committee minutes and reports; Adoption of the annual programme; Adoption of Second Term Committee Programme;

Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, 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].

Issued by Parliament