As part of a programme to build an effective People’s Parliament, that is responsive to the needs of the people, Parliament of the Republic of South Africa has embarked on a process of establishing Parliamentary Democracy Offices (PDO) in all nine provinces.

WHY THE PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY OFFICES?

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996, the supreme law of the country, Chapter 4, institute Parliament to provide a national forum for public consideration of issues.

Chapter 4 of the Constitution section 59 and section 72 put an obligation and a responsibility on Parliament to facilitate public access and involvement in the legislative and other processes of Parliament.

Furthermore, one of the core objectives of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa is “To facilitate public participation and involvement in Parliament”, and that is indicative of the importance and gravity of the public’s involvement and participation in the Parliamentary processes.

The vision of Parliament which is; “To build an effective people’s Parliament that is responsive to the needs of the people and that is driven by the ideal of realising a better quality of life for all the people of South Africa”, once again, encourages the people involvement in the Parliamentary processes.

Based on the various events and activities of Parliament it has become apparent that there is a great need from the people of South Africa to be involved and participate in the legislative processes and activities of Parliament.

It is in this effect that Parliament is establishing Parliamentary Democracy Offices (PDO) in all nine provinces in the under-serviced, under-resourced and deep rural areas to provide all South Africans an opportunity and mechanisms to take part in the legislative processes and activities of Parliament whilst it fulfils its constitutional duty of meaningful public participation and involvement.

Parliamentary Democracy Offices is a mechanism that will assist in promoting and entrenching democracy in South Africa. It will further provide an opportunity to promote a better understanding of the role of Parliament and raise awareness in the public domain.

PDO OBJECTIVES AND FUNCTIONS

PDO Objectives

To expand Parliament’s access, opportunity and space to directly be in touch and continuously engage with the people who are ordinarily outside national debates in society. To provide a platform for discussion to get people’s views on matters of national importance, major policy or legislation before Parliament. More importantly, the PDO will assist with:

• Realising the public participation and involvement of Parliament;
• Creating an immediate parliamentary presence in the provinces; and
• Ensuring a greater level of efficiency in accessing communities and providing ground support for parliamentary programmes.

PDO Functions

The PDO’s will, among others, be involved in:

• Conducting public education and provide information about Parliament and its work
• Providing a platform for people to access and participate in the processes of Parliament
• Providing ground and logistical support for parliamentary programmes and activities
• Facilitating public input and feedback
• Co-ordinating and co-operating with other spheres of government

PDO PROJECT OVERVIEW

Project Statement

The project objective is to establish fully operational physical offices called Parliamentary Democracy Offices (PDO’s) and mobile offices in all nine provinces including a central PDO in Parliament to co-ordinate the work of the PDO’s in the provinces.

Project Process

The process of establishing the PDO’s is managed in a form of a project and is implemented in phases whereby, phase one, is the establishment of physical offices in all nine provinces and a central office in Parliament to co-ordinate the work of the PDO’s in the provinces and the recruitment of personnel for these offices. Phase two, will focus on providing mobile offices for each PDO.

Phase one of the project is divided into two parts:

• Part one is focusing on the establishment of the following PDO’s Limpopo, Northern Cape and North West.
• Part two will focus on the establishment of the last six PDO’s, in the following provinces: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and
  Western Cape.

Project Status

The project is still in phase one, part one and has been successful in securing office buildings, refurbish and furnish some of them. Team Leaders who are to manage the work of the PDO’s have been appointed inducted and trained on Parliamentary work. They assisted in the co-ordination of participants from the three provinces for the 2008 state of the nation address. Currently they are focusing on the stakeholder engagement and management programme.

HOW TO CONTACT US

Central PDO

PDO Limpopo