The much anticipated Sitting of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature took place today in the Nelson Mandela Bay. The Legislature is currently in the Nelson Mandela Bay for its four-day Sitting taking Legislature to the People. This is a programme of the Legislature which is annually held outside its precincts to strengthen participatory democracy in the Province.
Scores of people from the 60 wards of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality attended this august Sitting which allowed members of the Legislature to have first-hand information on progress, challenges and quality of work being rendered in the Metro.
Community members were able to experience how the Legislature conducts its business with the Hon. Speaker, Ms Noxolo Kiviet, clarifying the process. “This programme serves as a vehicle to strengthen the oversight function of the Legislature and provides an opportunity to members of the public to hold their public representatives accountable”, she stated.
Participants were also told that although they will be given an opportunity to interact with their public representatives, it will not be possible that all people ask questions. “We have a petitions table at the back of the hall and members of the public who have issues to rise may also prepare a petition and hand it over to the officials at the back. We want to assure you that the petitions that you hand over will be attended to”, the Hon. Speaker added.
Two Portfolio Committee reports on Education and Health were tabled and adopted. The reports were compiled after oversight visits were conducted across the Nelson Mandela Bay to gauge service delivery levels in the area.
Community members wasted no time in voicing out their problems and were answered by the different MECs and MPLs on the spot. The Sitting continues tomorrow and will see reports tabled by Portfolio Committees on Human Settlements & the Portfolio Committee on Safety and Liaison respectively.
Enquiries:
Bulelwa Ganyaza
Tel: 040 608 0234
Cell: 071 642 3490
E-mail: bganyaza@ecleg.gov.za
