Final preparations are expected to begin for the national dialogue in August that is meant to chart a way forward for tackling SA’s most pressing socioeconomic challenges.
The inaugural meeting of the dialogue’s eminent persons group was held at the Union Buildings on Friday, and Tinyiko Maluleke and Roelf Meyer, who were designated by President Cyril Ramaphosa to co-ordinate the efforts, are expected to begin the final preparations.
They will try to ensure the meeting is inclusive and convince the DA to participate.
There is also a big two-day meeting later this week at Kruger National Park, where government leaders are expected to fine-tune SA’s expectations for the G20 leaders’ summit in November.
SA’s major push is for the G20 to be more aggressively and actively involved in providing financial support and debt relief to developing countries, with a focus on enhancing their fiscal space and promoting sustainable development. SA also wants the G20’s support to reform the global financial architecture to ensure fairer access to capital and to promote innovative financing mechanisms.
No update is expected this week on the SA’s continuing high-level trade talks with the US to try to reduce US President Donald Trump’s 30% trade tariff, as ministers have signed nondisclosure agreements.
It is a critical week for the government of national unity (GNU) in parliament, with the National Assembly due to vote on the Appropriations Bill, which allocates funding to departments, on Wednesday.
The DA is adamant it will not vote for the higher education and human settlements budget votes because of what it calls the misconduct of the respective ministers, Nobuhle Nkabana and Thembi Simelane. This would mean that the bill as a whole cannot be passed, which would heighten tensions in the GNU.
On Tuesday the higher education and training committee will continue its probe into Nkabane’s appointment of chairpersons of sector education and training authorities.
Also on Tuesday the Gauteng provincial treasury will brief the select committee on finance on its quarterly reports and the performance of its entities. Much money in the metros is being spent on big tenders to build roads and fund water tankers instead of fixing existing infrastructure such as the thousands of traffic lights that are offline for months, or broken water systems.
On Thursday the Western Cape education department will brief the portfolio committee on the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act regulations and their implementation as it relates to Grade R admissions.
Bela controversially aims to improve the education system by addressing issues such as compulsory school attendance, language and admission policies and homeschooling, as well as financial and accountability frameworks.
The portfolio committee on communications and digital technologies is hosting a discussion on ethical leadership and legislative oversight of the department on Thursday and Friday.
As illegal immigration remains a pressing national challenge, the portfolio committee on home affairs will discuss the One Stop Border Post Bill this week.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa will be in the Northern Cape on Friday for an oversight visit and deputy president Paul Mashatile is expected to head to South Sudan, according to the diary on the presidency’s website.
Ramaphosa has the sole authority to approve the international trips of the national executive, and has said Mashatile’s role in South Sudan means he will also be involved in other peacekeeping missions in Africa.
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