Committee cancels public hearings on Division of Revenue Bill

Public hearings for oral submission were scheduled to take place in Parliament on 6 May 2020, said the committee in a statement on Wednesday.

The Select Committee on Appropriations has canceled public hearings for oral submissions on the 2020 Division of Revenue Bill scheduled to take place in May.

In March 2020, the Select Committee on Appropriations invited stakeholders and interested parties to make written submissions on the bill that was tabled together with the 2020/2021 Budget by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni in Parliament on 26 February 2020.

Public hearings for oral submission were scheduled to take place in Parliament on 6 May 2020, said the committee in a statement on Wednesday.

However, due to the COVID-19 national lockdown and its impact on the committee's programme, the committee has resolved to cancel the scheduled public hearings.

This as South Africa's initial 21-day lockdown, aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19, has been extended by a further two-weeks ending April 2020.

The committee has called on stakeholders and interested parties who wish to make oral submissions and those who still wish to comment on the bill to make written submissions by 4 pm on Wednesday, 29 April 2020.

The committee said all written submissions received will be considered during a committee meeting scheduled for 13 May 2020 and will indicate if it decides otherwise after receiving the written submissions.

Submissions must be directed to the Committee Secretariat, Lubabalo Nodada on 083 412 1526/ Lnodada@parliament.gov.za, or Estelle Grunewald on 071 363 2257/ egrunewald@parliament.gov.za.

Copies of the bill are available at www.treasury.gov.za or www.parliament.gov.za.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)