Parliamentary Agenda: Oversight Visits and Ministerial Responses Scheduled This Week

Parliament, Sunday, 6 October 2024 – This week marks the beginning of the third and final term of the year for Parliament, as both the National Assembly (NA) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) resume their sessions following a constituency period. The key items on the agenda are committee oversight visits and Questions for Oral Reply from NCOP delegates.

Cluster 2A: Social Services will convene in the NCOP on Tuesday at 14:00, featuring the Ministers of Basic Education and Higher Education. They will address questions concerning the stabilization of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), assessments in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, budget cuts in basic education, and the reduction of teaching contracts.

The following day, Wednesday at 14:00, Cluster 2B: Social Services will see the Minister of Health and the Minister of Social Development responding to inquiries about the implementation progress of the National Health Insurance (NHI) and initiatives aimed at poverty eradication.

On Thursday, also at 14:00, Cluster 2C will include the Minister of Social Services and the Minister of Water and Sanitation, who will field questions regarding abandoned housing projects and water resource pollution. This session will be preceded by the NCOP Programming Committee meeting at 08:30, where the agenda, pending bills, and priority programs will be discussed.

In addition to the NCOP activities, several NA committees will conduct oversight visits to various state entities this week. The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education is scheduled to assess the condition of schools in the Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces.

Other notable visits include the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) to Eskom and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), and the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, which will engage with municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal to address governance challenges, water access, and service delivery issues.

Oversight functions are mandated by the Constitution, enabling Parliament to monitor government actions. This includes evaluating the implementation of laws, budget application, adherence to parliamentary regulations, and the effective management of government departments. Such oversight aims to enhance service delivery and improve citizens’ quality of life.

A total of 25 committee meetings are scheduled for the week, including:

Tuesday, 8 October 2024:

• Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans: 09:00-16:00, Committee Room 2, Upper Ground Floor, 90 Plein Street Building. Briefings include audit outcomes and budget discussions with National Treasury.
• Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development: 09:30, Committee Room M514, Marks Building. The committee will receive the Auditor-General’s report on Annual Financial Statements.
• Portfolio Committee on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation: 09:30, Room 4, Fourth Floor, 90 Plein Street Building. The agenda includes a discussion on the National State Enterprises Bill of 2024.

Wednesday, 9 October 2024:

• Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training: 09:00-18:00, Good Hope Chamber. Briefings on audit outcomes and annual reports are scheduled.
• Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development: 09:30, Committee Room 1. The department will present its Annual Report and funding proposals.
• Portfolio Committee on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation: 09:30, Committee Room S26. Briefings on audit outcomes for various departments.

Thursday, 10 October 2024:

• Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training: 09:00-15:00, Committee Room S12A. The focus will be on annual reports from educational councils.
• Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development: 09:30, Virtual Meeting. The Chief Justice will present the annual report.
• Public Protector: 14:00, Virtual Meeting. The committee will review the annual report and performance.

Friday, 11 October 2024:

• Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training: 09:00-13:00, Committee Room S12A. Briefing by the Northern Cape Urban TVET on its annual report.
• Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development: 09:30, Virtual Meeting. The National Prosecuting Authority will present its annual report and funding proposals.

This week’s activities reflect Parliament’s commitment to oversight and accountability as it seeks to address pressing issues facing the nation.