The bust of former president Nelson Mandela can be seen outside the parliament building in Cape Town ahead of the State of the Nation Address on 19 June 2019, Cape Town. Picture: Jacques Nelles
The coronavirus pandemic has caused parliament to suspend all its activities.
The National Assembly will sit on Wednesday morning to consider four matters, including the Division of Revenue Bill, whereafter all activities of the National Assembly will be suspended until further notice, according to a statement from parliament’s spokesperson Moloto Mothapo.
“A special meeting among presiding officers, chief whips and party representatives was held [Tuesday] morning to discuss the parliamentary programme and to receive a briefing on institutional arrangements in the light of the president’s announcement of a national state of disaster as a result of Covid-19,” he said.
Because of this, the question session with Deputy President David Mabuza falls away.
“The last sitting of the NCOP will be on Thursday… and its business will also be suspended until further notice.”
Parliament has also put in place various preventive measures against the coronavirus, including sanitisers, screening checks for members, staff and visitors as well as a medical support team.
Parliament will be closed to the public until further notice. Arrangements are also being made to reduce the number of staff members in the precinct in line with the president’s announcement.
DA chief whip Natasha Mazzone said not all DA MPs would be available for Wednesday’s sitting, and she had written to that effect to ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina to ensure there would be a quorum.
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