Members of Parliament serving on the key national assembly finance portfolio committee, chaired by African National Congress MP Barbara Hogan, will be returning from their annual Christmas and constituency leave to start committee work next week — some three weeks before the formal opening of parliament.
Parliament is to be opened by President Thabo Mbeki on February 14, which parliamentary sources indicate is scheduled for later in the month than usual because of the events surrounding the Cricket World Cup — with the launch match
to be held in the Mother City, Cape Town.
Finance department official Shahid Kahn said a preparatory meeting, including key MPs on the committee representing the various political parties, would be meeting on Thursday ahead of next week’s scheduled session to consider the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Bill. This bill was the subject of hearings and amendments during much of last year.
The preparatory meeting is expected to help prepare the schedule for the parliamentary year. Committee secretary Andre Hermans said work on the Bill is expected to be completed by the end of next week. The Bill — now in its third draft — seeks to overhaul municipal financial management and make municipal managers more accountable for spending.
This year’s budget, presented by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, is scheduled for Wednesday February 26 — after which the finance committee will consider the various budget votes. – I-Net Bridge