25 May 2004
Honourable President, Cde Thabo Mbeki, Honourable Deputy, President, Cde Jocob Zuma, Cde Speaker, Baleka Mbete, Members of the National Assembly.
Allow me an opportunity to also help to consolidate on the state of the address speech by the President of the Republic of South Africa.
I will move from a premise which says that my topic is very broad, in that it has been subject of many interpretation over many years which, is the role of Parliament in Executing Peoples contract. The term Parliament has had many connotations as a system of governance and Democracy. It has undergone so many processes of definitions and interpretation, stemming from the British West minister system. The electoral Constituency based system, which has guided almost all common wealth countries everywhere in the world. Countries such as Canada, Australia, Singapore, Jamaica, Ireland, New Zealand and India, practices the Westminister system.
When dealing with this subject, a whole range of questions come into being. What is Parliament? What role has it played in the new order? Who are the people who serve as representative?
In our situation we continue to raise issues of Parliament and the transformation agenda - Separation of powers theory. Parliament as and agent of socio-economic change. Moving away from the Westminister: The National Council of Provinces - Passing Bills between two houses - Provincial mandating. The Parliamentary committee system - parliamentary oversight - constitutional basis for executive accountability to Parliament - Public participation and Parliament - Leadership and Individual MP's - Presiding Officers - Chief Whip of the Majority Party - Portfolio Committee Chairpersons - Women in Parliament - Parliamentary Committee on the Quality of Life and Status of Women - legislation affecting women - The performance of political parties - Ethics in the new Parliament - Conflict of interest in the new Parliament.
The mentioning of all this critical questions and roles, is but a demonstration of how loaded this topic is. This are in essences issues we grabbled with in the first ten years of democracy. These issues will again continue to be in the agenda, as we grabble with issues, which will continue to contribute in the improvement and perfection of our democracy.
Cde Speaker, our role as South Africans is to harness and enhance our discussion especially on what the peoples contract entail, and how do we translate the role of Parliament in relation to concrete material conditions on the ground. The manner in which the ANC election Manifesto, explains the Peoples contract to create work and fight poverty, goes a long way of helping all Public Representative on the application of simple tactics and techniques to interacting with the people on the ground. It demands of Public Representatives to engage with the People on the ground, before reaching decisions affecting their lives could be made. It suggest that, it is imperative to enter in to a dialogue with people, before one think that one is a champion of the people, be them workers, residence, burial societies, churches, business concerns, NGO's and the entire civil society.
What Parliament do, should be informed by what the bulk of society aspire to achieve. What Parliament seeks to achieve should be based on what the peoples manifesto hope to undertake and achieve. Our social welfare R50 Billion budget per annum should address the basic needs of people and it should seek to address the problem of poverty, stemming from children, pensioners, people with HIV - AIDS, people with disabilities and the highly unemployable, what we term the lumpen proletariat.
Our expanded Public work programme which is community based, should be informed by the need to build infrastructure and the creation of work. As we tell our people that government is to spend R100 billion, in the next ten years, Parliament should be in a position to make a simple break down on how the programme will unfold, and what criteria is used to employ people on the ground. As we know that the project is labour intensive, communities should be in the process of informing government on how it wishes to participate and play a role. Of course, government has its own Policies, which informs it of a criteria to be used in the implementation of the expanded Public works programme. In a nutshell the role of Parliament in answering questions on the ground, is not perverted, if not confused.
The imperatives of consistency in constituency work cannot be over-emphasised. Members are expected to interact with their designated constituencies, to service the electorate on a regular basis. The aspect of resource allocation to members should be addressed sooner rather than later.
Cde Speaker, honourable members, just to recap, the following challenges are therefore tabulated:
1. Members have to be consistent in their constituency work.
2. Members have to exercise oversight in government and public institutions dealing with the implementation process.
3. Private members bills and motions have to be effected to bring to the attention of Parliament, concerns communities they serve, raises.
4. Explore more on the connotations of peoples contract, visa vi the governments Policy.
5. Particular experiences visa vi the election process and the out comes thereof.
In conclusion, The State of the Nations address is a project plan with definite time - frames, based on ensuring that there is delivery on the part of government. The speech also seeks to ensure that government is transparent and accountable.
The implication thereof, suggests that, Parliament has to apply itself to the oncoming budget vote, of government departments, which is an indictment on the part of Parliament to apply itself to reasons, which makes it to accept or reject certain budget proposals and recommendations. The ANC, therefore calls upon Parliament as a whole, to support and endorse the state of the Nation address of the President for it seeks to address the disparities, which exists on the ground. The speech, is a clear programme of action, for clear delivery.
I personally support the speech in its entirety.
I thank you.