ANC due to speak on outcome of legkotla

The ANC will brief the media on Monday on the outcomes of its three-day legkotla held at the weekend. The legkotla focused on the economy and setting the political tone for Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba’s inaugural medium-term budget.

Another key issue that was expected to be discussed was the situation at state-owned entities and the state itself.

Last week, Eskom chief financial officer Anoj Singh was suspended pending an investigation. Singh has been at the centre of corruption allegations that include providing financial assistance to the Guptas to buy Optimum Coal Mine through authorising prepayments and a R1.6bn guarantee for financing the deal.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe conceded last week that allegations of state capture by the Guptas were denting the party’s image.

The Guptas are accused of tax evasion, money laundering, bribery and corruption.

Parliament will resume its work this week as the constituency period for MPs comes to an end.

With a week to go until the vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma, National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete still needs to make a decision on the vote being secret or not.

Nine parliamentary committees will be conducting oversight visits in four provinces.

The portfolio committee on police will visit KwaZulu-Natal on Monday to assess the state of policing in the province in relation to allegations that surfaced during the Moerane commission into political killings. The commission was set up by the premier, Willies Mchunu, in 2016.

There are 23 scheduled parliamentary committee meetings this week and a plenary sitting of the National Council of Provinces.

On Thursday, Parliament’s ad hoc committee on the funding of political parties will consider submissions from the public on the Public Funding of Represented Political Parties Act.

Also on Thursday, the standing committee on finance will get a briefing from South African Airways.

A by-election will take place on Wednesday in the hung council of Modimolle/ Mookgophong. The ANC lost power after the 2016 municipal elections, and an ANC ward is now up for grabs in the municipality. Even though it is just one ward, DA leader Mmusi Maimane and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa have both campaigned in the small Limpopo town of Vaalwater, where a ward councillor will be elected.