At the dawn of our democracy, a number of new laws emerged whose purpose was to bring to life the founding values of our democratic dispensation premised on equality, the advancement of the Bill of Rights and human dignity. But 23 years on, these values which are enshrined in our Constitution, are yet to be realised, said Mr Thulani Tshefuta, one of the members of the High Level Panel.  

The inception of the panel was meant to determine what needs to be done to enhance Parliament’s efficiency and effectiveness in promoting the reformative laws that are meant to uphold the founding principles of our Constitution, he said. 

“The panel has now completed its ground work and is currently dealing with a plethora of recommendations from its three working groups that will form part of its final report. What will come out of its report will inform how we regulate our law-making processes in the future, to ensure that they advance laws that underpin the values of our Constitution.”             

To ensure that the memory and legacy of its work is sustained well into the future, the panel saw it fit to have a youth representative as one of its members. Reflecting on his election as the representative of the youth on the panel, Mr Tshefuta, who is currently the Chairperson of Youth Development Centre of Excellence, said: “The panel took the decision to elect me as one of its members because it is of the view that if we don’t start today to nurture the leadership capabilities of our youth, the growth potential of our country in various respects – be it in politics or the economy – will not be realised.”  

What impressed him most is the panel’s resolve to engage the youth on the strength of their ideas on the three thematic areas of its working groups, rather than to confine their contribution to youth-related matters, he said. “When I was invited to serve on the panel I ensured that I engage in this legislative review on the strength of my ideas, rather than on my youth perspective. The contribution of the youth across various thematic areas of the panel is reflected in their engagements and submissions that came up with innovative ways of dealing with some of the legislative challenges our country is facing.”

In his concluding remarks, he stated that what will remain etched in his memory is the people’s relentless desire to contribute to nation-building. “During the panel’s public hearings we have seen various people, rich and poor, black and white, men and women, who not only came to raise challenges, but who also provided the panel with solutions to the legislative challenges they are faced with. To me, this was a display of our people’s desire to contribute to nation-building,” he said.

“Had we not held public hearings, we would not have realised such a remarkable commitment. This goes to show that if harnessed well, public participation can be one of the effective tools of our legislative oversight,” he said.  

By Abel Mputing

16 August 2017