For audio by the Secretary to Parliament, Mr Xolille George, please click here: https://iono.fm/c/4704
Istanbul, Türkiye, April 2026 – The Secretary to Parliament, Mr Xolile George, today addressed the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments (ASGP), a consultative body of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), during the 152nd IPU Assembly underway in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Secretary is part of the Parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza, to the 152nd IPU Assembly, currently participating in the Assembly and the associated meetings.
During his address, Mr George highlighted the reforms underway in Parliament to strengthen oversight of the Presidency, among other things. The reforms respond to a gap in the oversight of the Presidency, particularly in relation to Vote 1 of the national budget, as identified during the Sixth Parliament and reinforced by the recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector, Including Organs of State.
The ASGP brings together Secretaries General and other senior office bearers responsible for parliamentary administration. It considers the law, procedure, practice and working methods of parliaments, proposes measures for improvement and promotes cooperation between parliamentary administrations. The Association also assists the IPU on matters within its scope and reports annually to the IPU Executive Committee on its activities.
In this context, Mr George presented on the evolution of oversight procedures for the Office of the Presidency, outlining measures taken by the Parliament of South Africa to strengthen its oversight of the executive.
The presentation reaffirmed Parliament’s constitutional mandate, in terms of the Constitution, to ensure accountability, transparency and responsiveness in the exercise of executive authority. In fulfilling this mandate, Parliament utilises a range of oversight mechanisms, including committee processes, questions to the executive and the scrutiny of budgetary and performance reports.
Mr George highlighted the legislative framework supporting this mandate, including the Public Finance Management Act, the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act and the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act of 2004. These instruments provide for the examination of government expenditure, enable Parliament to amend budgets following due process and empower committees to summon persons to account.
Parliament subsequently undertook a structured reform process to address this gap. This process included research by the Parliamentary Budget Office, consideration of international comparative practices, and deliberations by the National Assembly Rules Committee. The National Assembly thereafter resolved to establish a dedicated Committee on the Presidency, with rules adopted in November 2025 and ratified in December 2025.
The committee is mandated to oversee the budget and activities of the Presidency, require a designated member of the executive to account and facilitate annual engagements with the President and the Deputy President on matters of national and international importance. The rules further provide for procedural arrangements to support its work, including advance notice of engagements, a proportional allocation of time for members and mechanisms for deferring responses where necessary.
Mr George said, “These reforms give practical effect to Parliament’s constitutional responsibility to hold the Executive to account. The establishment of the Committee on the Presidency strengthens oversight of a key centre of executive authority, while ensuring that such oversight is conducted in a structured and balanced manner consistent with our constitutional framework.”
Mr George said that the establishment of the committee represents a significant step in strengthening Parliament’s oversight capacity and enhancing accountability in respect of the Presidency. The committee commenced its work in 2026 and will contribute to the continued development of parliamentary practice.
*The IPU is the global organisation of national parliaments that facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy, human rights, gender equality, youth empowerment, climate action and sustainable development worldwide. Founded in 1889, the IPU brings together 183 Member Parliaments and 15 Associate Members, with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
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