Chairperson of the NCOP
Presiding Officers of Provincial Legislatures
Deputy Speaker of the NA
Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP
Hon Members
Senior Administrators of the Sector
Colleagues and friends
Today marks an important epoch in our efforts to establish the Legislative Sector as a fully fledged, functional and capacitated arm of the State in its own right.
The establishment and launch of the Legislative Sector Institute edges us closer to achieving the objectives we have set ourselves in ensuring that , not only is the Sector fully established, but that it has the necessary institutional capacity to execute is functions.
The Speakers Forum, currently the consultative structure for the Legislative Sector, has committed itself that we use the term of the Sixth Parliament to conclude all the work relation to the proper establishment of the Sector. In this regard we have noted and welcomed progress that the Secretaries have done in finalizing the process of both the Legislative Sector Bill as well as the Presiding Officers Handbook for the Sector.
The Speakers Forum also committed itself to ensure that discussions with the Head of State regarding the proper funding of the Sector, are rei stated and finalised.
Chairperson,
The Institute that we launch today is intended to enhance the functioning of the legislatures through development and implementation of capacity development programmes, production of quality research, and the development and management of knowledge for members and officials.
It will also spearhead the establishment of the alumni association of former members and officials of the Legislative Sector. As a sector, we identified the need for a sector parliamentary institute in the Fourth Parliament as one of the recommendations of the development of a sector common oversight framework called the Sector Oversight Model (SOM). The legislative sector lacked a dedicated Institute to identify needs, design and deliver programmes, conduct research and provide access to relevant information.
In the case of the Executive, the National School of Governance (NSG) was established as a dedicated institution to capacitate state officials and enhance the capacity of the Administration. Subsequently, the Speakers’ Forum approved the establishment of the Institute in the Fifth Parliament with an establishment process approved in the Sixth Parliament. If the model used by the National School of Governance is to be emulated, it could see the Institute of the Sector driving collaborations and benchmarking across other sectors of the state and with similar institutions globally. The establishment process builds on the approvals to date to work out the details related to the establishment of the Institute from concept to implementation.
The four phases are as follows:
- Development of the logo and name of the institute and the appointment of the Board.
- Consultation and ownership building on the high-level strategy for the Institute.
- The development of a strategy and the plan that defines operational details, as well as programme offerings and mode of delivery.
- A launch plan with a report detailing the modalities of implementation.
We envisage that once fully established the institute will play a number of roles in building capacity for the Legislative Sector, including, but not limited to:
- Design, develop and implement Capacity Building Programmes for Staff and Members.
- Conduct quality research and provide up-to-date information to members of Legislatures, and its committees.
- Provide advice and technical assistance tocommittees and office bearers in the legislative and policy related matters.
- Establish and host an Alumni Association of Sector (former MPs/MPLs and Officials).
A proper governance model has also been designed , which will ensure accountability and monitoring of programs, with a separate Board of Directors and management.
The Speakers Forum has approved the governance model of the Parliamentary Institute of South Africa in the meeting held on 29 April 2021.
There will be consultation and awareness creation about the institute in order to obtain buy in from all stakeholders. These consultations will be effected through focus group at political and administration levels.
The board’s first task in 2022 will be the development of a strategy for the institute with an operational plan that will be operationalized focusing on the three broad objectives of the Institute, being Capacity Development, Research and Knowledge Development, and the establishment of the Alumni.
Given its role as the law making institution of the country, the sector requires capacity and skills to ensure that any legislation driven in all Parliaments is informed by proper research and due consideration. This includes capacity in all functions of the Sector including its oversight and public participation programs. The lack capacity with legislatures hampers proper functioning of the democratic process as it makes it impossible for the legislatures to hold the Executive accountable and monitor impact of programs and legislation.
We trust that the institute will give us the capacity we need to build and enhance the critical competencies needed for oversight, in support of our democratic process. We want it to produce skilled and capable personnel within the sector, while it also serves as a reservoir of knowledge to support our training and research functions.
I want to thank the Deputy Speaker for his leadership throughout this process; a word of gratitude to all the officials, the Secretaries and you presiding officers for the role you have all played in ensuring that this work was a success, up to the point where we can officially launch the institute today.
A lot of work however remains in the horizon as we put the final bricks and ensure that both the governance and administration capacity of the Institute are put in place.
Well Done, and I thank you
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