CONSENSUS REACHED BY PARTIES ON THE PROGRAMME OF PARLIAMENT

20 November 2014

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip is pleased that, following exhaustive engagement amongst representatives of political parties in parliament on areas of disagreement relating to today's agenda of the National Assembly, parties have been able to reach a consensus. We welcome the maturity and cooperation that enabled the parties to reach a compromise on the stalemate, which has regrettably delayed today's sitting by almost 9 hours. The sitting only resumed at 21h00.

In view of the congestion of today's agenda and the delayed resumption of the sitting of the House, the parties resolved to:

1. Extend the programme of the National Assembly to next week. This means that instead of the House rising today as previously scheduled, it will rise next week.

2. Defer the following items: Motions Without Notice, Members' Statements and Farewell speeches to be scheduled next week.

3. Defer the tabling of the report of the Powers & Privileges Committee to next week.

4. Only deal with the Medium Term Budget Policy Statements and the Appointment of the Secretary to Parliament.

The extension of the programme of the House to next week will ensure that all these deferred matters are dealt with by the House in this term.

Statement issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, November 20 2014

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter