National Assembly Speaker Ms Baleka Mbete opened the two-day Speaker’s Forum meeting in Johannesburg by reminding the Speakers of the nine provincial legislatures about the Forum’s mandate to improve services to the people.

She urged the members of the forum to work tirelessly for the benefit of all South Africans in exercising its oversight role, as envisaged in the Constitution.

“This timely engagement is meant for us to understand the challenges our people encounter on a daily basis and for us to know where we are with our work. Even though the High-Level Panel on the Assessment of Key Legislation has not concluded its work, it is important that it gives us feedback on the progress so far and where to improve services to the people”, said Ms Mbete.

The Speakers’ Forum sits quarterly and is chaired by Ms Mbete and the Chair of the National Council of Provinces, Ms Thandi Modise. The Speakers from the nine provincial legislatures come together in the forum to determine the direction of the legislative sector. It is the highest decision-making body of the sector, and oversees the management and coordination of sector programmes.

Sibongile Maputi and Mlindi Mpindi
20 April 2017