Parliament, Wednesday 04 September 2019 – The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) is set to dedicate much of its time to strengthening oversight work in an effort to strengthen Executive accountability and, as such, deepen democracy. In its two-day Strategic Planning Session for Select Committees led by the House Chairperson, Hon. Jomo Nyambi, the Council committed to better account for resources allocated to it. These include both human and financial resources.
The session which started on 03 September and culminated in a plenary session on 04 September identified the need to review and sharpen oversight tools in order to ensure the delivery of services to those who need them the most. These tools include Taking Parliament To The People, the Local Government Week, the Provincial Week, and questions to the Executive.
The NCOP hopes to tackle a range of serious challenges facing various communities, including the culture of non-payment for services. The Council also resolved to heighten public participation in the passing of Legislations. The Strategic Planning Session endorsed the statement issued by Parliament on the violence which is gripping the country. It echoed the sentiment that South Africa is home to all who live in it, without any exception.
Through the work of the various Committees, the Council committed to improving the performance of State Owned Enterprises, early childhood development centres and the eradication of poverty and halving of unemployment in South Africa.
In order to mitigate against the challenges facing the country, the Council undertook to heighten collaboration, cooperation and coordination with provincial legislatures and municipalities. The session also undertook to institute better instruments of tracking and monitoring the implementation of decisions by the Executive and recommendations by Committees.
The meeting also endorsed plans for institutionalised engagements with the FFC and the Parliamentary Budget office in order to equip Select Committees with knowledge and skills necessary in overseeing the use of budget allocations to state organs.
Members of the NCOP also pledged to ride the wave of the 4th Industrial Revolution by exploring innovative ways to effectively engage citizens and promote meaningful participation in Parliamentary processes, whilst saving costs and improving efficiencies across state institutions.
The session also agreed to better streamline the work of the NCOP in law making and in the rollout of programmes in order to eradicate duplications between the work of Committees in the NCOP and the National Assembly without compromising the distinctive nature of the NCOP.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
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