Photo: South African Houses of Parliament in Cape Town. Photo: PhilippN / Wikimedia Commons
Photo: South African Houses of Parliament in Cape Town. Photo: PhilippN / Wikimedia Commons
In an unprecedented move, the Parliament of South Africa will cease business this week, in a bid to defeat the outbreak of coronavirus across the country. Plans were punted a couple of days ago, and our elected officials now have the green-light to excuse themselves from public duties.
Parliament to shut-down due to coronavirus
On Wednesday, the last few bills and legislations of the term will be signed into law. They include a pay rise for local magistrates and a salary freeze for judges. Furthermore, the Division of Local Revenue Bill will free up for funds for provincial governments – a timely intervention to battle the COVID-19 outbreak.
Today will likely be the last day most MPs spend in the National Assembly for a month or so. Meanwhile, members of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) have to meet on Thursday for “urgent business”, but those involved will not have to return for the best part of four weeks.
There’s also a directive to send all Parliamentary workers – including administrative and security staff – home on Friday, encouraging them to work remotely until Tuesday 14 Apil – the day after our Easter holidays.
Last few bits of business
Portfolio committee meetings will go ahead as scheduled unless a decision is taken this morning to cancel them too, after the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) cancelled meetings scheduled in three Gauteng municipalities – and sorting out the administrative mess in Tshwane is a top priority.
“The public meetings were part of the three-day report back session of the NCOP’s flagship programme, Taking Parliament to the People (TPTTP). The NCOP will only meet on Thursday to consider an urgent business: The intervention in the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality in terms of section 139 (1)(c).”
#Parliament will be closed to the public until further notice. Arrangements are being made to reduce the number of staff members in the precinct in line with the President's announcement #COVID19SouthAfrica
— LandSpasm (@JoyleneVanWyk) March 17, 2020
