This will be the first time a committee meeting is held in online format. 

Mkhize will face questions on key aspects of the government's strategy to combat the coronavirus. 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) called for the meeting to be open to the public.

"We welcome this historic meeting of the committee and urge that public participation is upheld in accordance with section 59 (1)(b) and section 59 (2) of the Constitution which makes the need for open meetings explicit," the DA's health policy spokeswoman Siviwe Gwarube said.

There has been pressure from the official opposition for parliament to continue essential oversight work in virtual fashion during South Africa's Covid-19 lockdown. 

The chairwoman of the portfolio committee on police, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, on Thursday said she had sought to convene a virtual oversight meeting in response to a request from the DA, given the concerning number of abuses by police that have been reported since lockdown began a fortnight ago.

However, the ANC and Inkatha-Freedom Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters indicated their members were not available because they were busy with constituency work. 

Joemat-Pettersson said she had now asked that a detailed analysis be prepared of matters reported to watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) since the start of the year.
 
"As part of its constitutional obligation of oversight, the committee has requested those statistics to ensure that those cases are investigated and that those found in the wrong are prosecuted. The committee will do an expert analysis on the IPID statistics and discuss them in its next meeting.

"The committee views the matter as urgent and will place it on the agenda for the first meeting when it reconvenes."

African News Agency