| Type of parliamentary body |
Multifunctional |
| Nature |
Permanent |
| Related to chambers |
National Council of Provinces
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| Date of creation |
1994 |
| Last renewal date |
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| Mandate |
Section 231 of the Constitution determines the role of Parliament with regard to international agreements, including international trade agreements. International agreements are largely the responsibility of the Executive but become binding or effective after the National Assembly (NA) and National Council of Provinces (NCOP) approve them by resolution. Before trade negotiations begin, the Minister of Trade and Industry (who is generally the lead Minister with regard to trade agreements) briefs the NA and NCOP Committees of Parliament on the need for a trade agreement or the need for participation in a multilateral forum, including the broad policy position and possible challenges and implications.
The Minister also outlines how these negotiations support the government's economic strategy. The Committee then discusses the briefing by the Minister and makes recommendations. During the course of the negotiations the negotiators are frequently called to Parliament to provide a briefing and are also questioned by the Members of the Committee. The Committee engages the Department of Trade and Industry on policy guidelines, studies the text of trade agreements, engages with negotiators and experts, initiates hearings with stakeholders, approves or rejects trade agreements, monitors the compliance of national legislation with international agreements and generally engages with the Minister on the social, economic and political implications of any trade agreement. Key trade agreements evaluated and monitored by the Committee include the European Union - South Africa - Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (EU-SA-TDCA) and the Southern African Development Community Free Trade Agreement (SADC-FTA).
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| Membership |
The term for a parliament is five years. Assigning members to committees is the responsibility of the individual political parties but determined by each political party's share of votes and distribution of seats.
The Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs is chaired by Nosipho Dorothy Ntwanambi and has 15 members: 10 from the African National Congress (ANC), 3 from the Democratic Alliance (DA), 1 from the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and 1 from the New National Party (NNP).
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| Working methods |
The drafting of the Committee agenda is largely a political process, with political parties identifying areas that need to be addressed by the Committee. The Committee chairperson drafts the agenda with an eye to the key policy and legislative activities of the Department of Trade and Industry. The agenda includes areas to be considered, dates and resource people to be invited. The programme is made public through the various parliamentary monitoring bodies and the parliamentary information services.
The Committee's proceedings are public, with regular invitations being sent to stakeholders for specific submissions. The Committee regularly organizes public hearings and is authorized under the Constitution (Section 56) to summon any person to appear before it to give evidence or to produce documents. Decisions by the Committee are generally made on a consensus basis, but where agreement cannot be reached members resort to voting. The Committee engages with the Department and other stakeholders at frequent intervals with regard to implementation.
The Information Services Section (ISS) of Parliament provides information and research support to Parliament, parliamentary committees, members of parliament and the parliamentary administration. The ISS consists of the Library and the Research Unit. The Library subscribes to the major international trade journals, trade databases and multilateral institution publications. The Research Unit provides analytical and conceptual analysis on major trade topics. The ISS manages information on trade topics. At a multilateral level, key sources of information include WTO, the IPU, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Assembly, the United Nations, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), etc. The Department of Trade and Industry also provides the Committee with information. University departments of economics and research institutes like the Trade Law Centre (TRALAC) at the University of Stellenbosch provide technical information.
The Committee generally conducts hearings on the major trade agreements. Reports and recommendations are made public. The Department of Trade and Industry is frequently requested to respond to the Committee's findings.
Members of the Committee are frequently invited to accompany government delegations to trade negotiations, including WTO negotiations. On return members of parliament submit reports, which are considered by the Committee.
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| Relations with other parliamentary bodies |
Because of the nature of international trade agreements, other committees, including Agriculture, Labour, Communications and Environmental Affairs, also deal with trade issues. Joint briefings and hearings are organized, with the Trade and Industry Committee being the lead committee. Parliamentary reports on trade issues generally take the form of joint reports by the different committees. Information submitted to Parliament by one department is forwarded to the other relevant committees. |
| Relations with external bodies |
The Committee engages both government and civil society through briefings and hearings on trade agreements and their implications. Members of the Committee are frequently invited to participate in policy reference groups for government departments, while civil society organizations invite members of parliament to panel discussions and debates.
It is customary for members of the Committee to attend major multilateral negotiating forums, such as the WTO Ministerial Conferences, as part of the official national delegation.
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| Subjects dealt with |
The following issues have been dealt with by the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry and the Select Committee on Economics and Foreign Affairs: the EU-SA-TDCA, the SADC Trade Protocol, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), WTO Ministerial Conferences, the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the SACU-US Free Trade Agreement, free trade agreements with Brazil, India and China, the African Union (AU) and the Pan African Parliament, and the African Caribbean Pacific - European Union (ACP-EU) Cotonou Agreement. |
| CONTACT INFORMATION |
| Main address |
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Po Box 15, Cape Town, 8000, SA |
| Phone |
+2721 403 3831 |
| Fax |
+2721 403 2141 |
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PRESIDING OFFICER(S)
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| Name |
Ms. Nosipho Dorothy Ntwanambi |
| Notes |
Chair of the Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs |
| Address (if different from above) |
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. PO Box 15, Cape Town, 8000, SA |
| Phone |
+2721 403 2432 |
| Fax |
+2721 403 2646 |
| E-mail |
rmolloy-titus@parliament.gov.za |
| Website |
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SECRETARY
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| Name |
Ms. Zanele Mene |
| Notes |
Section Manager, Committee Section |
| Address (if different from above) |
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Po Box 15, Cape Town, 8000, SA |
| Phone |
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| Fax |
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| E-mail |
zmene@parliament.gov.za |
| web site: |
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| Notes |
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| Name |
Ms. Gadija Abdullatief |
| Notes |
Committee Secretary, Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs |
| Address (if different from above) |
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Po Box 15, Cape Town, 8000, SA |
| Phone |
+2721 403 3831 |
| Fax |
+2721 403 2141 |
| E-mail |
gabdullatief@parliament.gov.za |
| web site: |
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| Notes |
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