National Assembly Speaker, Ms Baleka Mbete, has called on her fellow Members of Parliament (MPs) to engage more with communities, especially in rural and marginalised areas, to continuously assess the impact of the laws they (MPs) pass on the people.
Speaking during the debate of the budget vote of Parliament yesterday, the Speaker said the ongoing community protests in various parts of the country were an indication that something is inadequate, and challenged MPs to “ask ourselves whether a fresh look or approach to constituency work might help”.
She said there is always room to improve in the level of engagements with the people and communities especially through Parliament outreach activities, to rural and marginalized communities.
As Parliament, it is our duty to step up our monitoring and evaluation function in pursuance of our people centred agenda.
“We must accept that failure in service delivery does not just reflect badly on the part of our government, but speaks also to the rigour of our oversight and accountability measures.
“The High Level Panel Report and our oversight activities highlight that, despite very good legislation, implementation remains our Achilles’ heel.
She said the number of Bills passed is only one indicator of our performance and, as such, must be weighed against the quality of engagements and the impact of the laws themselves on the ground.
The Speaker also commended the 5th Parliament for living up to its objective of becoming a “people’s Parliament”.
“We have seen examples of excellence emerging, specifically with respect to Parliament’s oversight inquiries and investigative capacity.
“The probes surrounding corporate governance at the SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) and allegations of state capture at other state-owned entities have not only brought to light some governance failures but are also beginning to yield changes and action against those found to be compromised in one way or another. We must continue to build on best practices in the exercise of this duty,” the Speaker said.
Since the establishment of the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO), Parliament’s ability to engage with, and interrogate, both budgets and budgetary outcomes has been significantly elevated.
We must continue to build the support available to committees so that they play a proactive role in the budget process as envisaged by the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act.
Considering the legislative workload, the Speaker said, Parliament needs to consider how to reinforce the advisory and drafting services available to members and committees.
As legal drafting is a scarce skill, Parliament should review the package offered to attract and retain legal experts.
Ms Mbete also announced that the Speakers’ Forum has proposed the introduction of ethics and integrity legislation as a contribution towards building integrity in state-owned institutions, mindful that there is no single formula for resolving the often complex and difficult ethical tensions that politicians face.
As individual members, we must live up to the expectations of the people and always maintain the highest ethical standards.
For the 2018/19 financial year, Parliament’s actual allocation is just over R2.4 billion. National Assembly House Chairperson for International Relations, Ms Mmatlala Boroto, used the opportunity to condemn the recent killing of Palestinian citizens by the Israel army in the ongoing dispute in the Middle East.
She also welcomed the withdrawal of South Africa’s ambassador to Israel and called for the downgrading of the embassy.
“Parliament is urged to support the withdrawal of South Africa’s Ambassador to Israel and call upon other parliaments to recognise the State of Palestine.
She likened what was happening in Palestine to the South Africa’s Group Areas Act under apartheid South Africa, and labelled Israel an “apartheid state.”
“During apartheid years, children were murdered, fertile land stolen, is that not what is happening in Palestine? Israel is an apartheid state, there is no difference between Israel and apartheid South Africa,” said House Chairperson Boroto.
The National Development Plan (NDP) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been incorporated into the business plans of all committees.
House Chairperson for Committees and Oversight, Mr Cedric Frolic, said: “Action must be considered by this House against people who refuse to appear before parliamentary committees, to protect the sovereignty of the House.”
Democratic Alliance Chief Whip in the National Assembly, Mr John Steenhuisen, complained about what he called “loss of trust in Parliament by the public”.
“Public trust in Parliament as an institution of democracy has plummeted, and part of the reason is that many of our citizens do not see institutions of democracy, like Parliament, as relevant to their everyday lives.
“We need institutions of democracy that are going to stand up to the Constitution and rule of law, Parliament must be beacon of democracy,” said Mr Steenhuisen.
By Sakhile Mokoena
23 May 2018
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