Parliament Wraps Up Legislative Session Ahead of National Elections

The week is also packed with about seven committee meetings where members will review reports on the Pension Funds Amendment Bill and the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill among others.

As the 2024 National and Provincial Elections approach, Parliament is set to conclude its legislative activities this week. Both the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and the National Assembly (NA) are scheduled to deliberate on a series of significant bills and farewell speeches, marking the end of the current parliamentary session.

On Tuesday, the NCOP will review the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill at 9 am. The session will continue on Thursday with the NCOP considering several critical pieces of legislation including the Railway Safety Bill, National Water Resources Infrastructure Bill, Transport Appeal Tribunal Amendment Bill, Marine Pollution Amendment Bill, General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill, and the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill.

Similarly, the NA has a busy schedule for Thursday starting at 10 am, where it will consider the Municipal Demarcation Authority Bill, Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill, Statistics Amendment Bill, Pension Funds Amendment Bill, and Public Procurement Bill.

The week is also packed with about seven committee meetings where members will review reports on the Pension Funds Amendment Bill and the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill among others.

As the legislative session draws to a close, both Houses will feature farewell speeches from Members on Thursday, setting the stage for the upcoming elections slated for May 29, 2024.

In addition to the legislative workload, Parliament has begun the rebuilding process of the National Assembly and the Old Assembly buildings, which were severely damaged by a fire in 2022. The initial phase includes the demolition of structurally compromised sections, labeled as the "red zone." This process involves specialized expertise and machinery, considering the historical and heritage significance of the building. The demolition will pave the way for rehabilitation works expected to commence by August.

Citizens interested in following the final legislative debates can tune into the live streams on Parliament's YouTube channel or watch on Parliament TV on DStv channel 408.