The National Assembly is expected to be a hive of activity this week as portfolio committees raise questions about the annual reports of various government departments and their entities, including reports by the auditor-general (AG) on those departments and their entities.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to receive a report of the latest national census from statistician-general Risenga Maluleke at the Union Buildings on Tuesday.
The census, conducted in February 2022, was the fourth population and housing count in post-apartheid SA, with the first conducted in 1996 and subsequent ones in 2001 and 2011.
The latest census is set to provide comprehensive data on population size, demographic trends and other information related to service delivery.
On Thursday, Ramaphosa is set to appear before the National Council of Provinces to answer questions for oral reply from members of the house.
The SABC board is on Wednesday due to brief parliament’s portfolio committee on communications & digital technologies on the implementation of its turnaround strategy, the use of bailout funds and its failure to overcome its financial challenges.
Over the years the public broadcaster has been rocked by a cash flow crisis and has relied heavily on government bailouts to keep operating.
The cabinet recently approved and sent to parliament a bill aimed at reforming the SABC’s existing funding model, including overhauling the manner in which TV licence fees are collected. The SABC is owed billions of rand in unpaid fees. The SABC Bill is effectively aimed at providing the entity with a new funding model. It was allocated R3.2bn in 2019 to fund initiatives outlined in its approved turnaround plan aimed at transforming its financial sustainability.
However, DA shadow communications & digital technologies minister Natasha Mazzone criticised the bill as a “disservice to the public broadcaster and to South Africans”. She called on parliament to reject it and instead “establish a team of market experts to draw up solutions to the SABC’s funding crisis”.
“The SABC is owed R44bn in TV licences, a massive financial hole that successive ministers have failed to address. The SABC was also a target of ANC-sponsored state capture and, as such, it has not turned a profit in more than a decade. This year the SABC reported a financial loss of R1.13bn,” Mazzone said.
In September, communications minister Mondli Gungubele gave the clearest indication yet that the government will once again financially support the SABC, saying it is crucial for the government to keep the public broadcaster afloat, especially with the 2024 elections on the horizon.
The standing committee on finance will be briefed by the auditor-general on Tuesday on the audit outcomes of the National Treasury and its entities. The auditor-general will also brief the portfolio committee on sport, arts & culture on the results of its relevant department.
The portfolio committee on communications & digital technologies will on Wednesday be briefed by Postbank and the SA Post Office on their 2022/23 annual reports and financial statements.
On Friday, the portfolio committee on planning, monitoring & evaluation will be briefed by the auditor-general on Brand SA, Stats SA and the department over which it has oversight. The department, Brand SA and Stats SA will in turn brief the committee on their annual reports for 2022/23.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.