The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) holds its flagship Taking Parliament to the People programme in Gauteng from today 28 October to 1 November 2013. The venue is Giant Stadium in Soshanguve, City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
The programme was established for the purpose of enhancing public participation. This is important given that the NCOP was established to represent the interests of the provinces and to provide a national forum for public consideration of issues affecting the provinces.
Section 72 of the Constitution enjoins the NCOP to facilitate public involvement in the legislative and other processes. It further requires the NCOP to conduct its business in an open manner and hold its sittings and those of its committees in public. Furthermore, Section 66 of the Constitution authorises the NCOP to require a Cabinet member or Deputy Minister, or an official in the national or provincial executive, to attend its meetings or those of its committees.
The week-long programme was preceded by a number of activities, including field research, a public meeting in Hammanskraal during September, to discuss the agenda with the people as well as preliminary visits by committees to conduct oversight. Relevant government departments at national and provincial level have been informed about the issues that people have raised during these interactions in order to come and report publicly during the week of the programme.
The programme will be the last programme in the current Parliament. Its significance is marked by the fact that it takes place on the eve of the 20th anniversary of our democracy which gave rise to our Constitution. It is thus an important platform for broad reflection on achievements and challenges of our young democracy.
The value of the NCOP taking parliament to the people is in the fact that it affords the people an opportunity to engage directly with their leaders from the three spheres of government. The leaders from the different government institutions have the space and opportunity to account directly to the people.
Following the implementation of the programme this week, the NCOP will develop a report on all the issues raised and do the necessary follow-up through the relevant structures. It will facilitate the processing of the issues that would have come from the people for purposes of consideration by the current and the next Parliament. The province and the City Council will be expected to follow up on the issues that relate to their areas of competence.
Chairperson of the NCOP, Mr Mninwa Mahlangu says: “The success of this NCOP people-oriented programme has ensured that we bridge the gap between the people and those that govern them. It has assisted the institution to understand the real challenges of the people and the provinces they live in and to facilitate the resolution of challenges where these exist.
We have witnessed encouraging developments in terms of service delivery in many of the provinces we have visited through the programme.This clearly shows that when we work together we can succeed”.
Chairperson of the NCOP invites the members of the media to join the NCOP in Soshanguve this week, as it gives expression to the constitutional injunction of involving the people in matters of governance.The media play a critical role in informing the public and providing critical analyses on matters of public interest.
For any enquiries please contact:
Nolizwi Magwagwa
Cell: 083 313 1323
E-mail: nmagwagwa@parliament.gov.za,
Modise Kabeli
Cell: 082 077 4682
E-mail: mkabeli@parliament.gov.za
Manelisi Ntsodo
Cell; 083 985 7047
E-mail: mntsodo@parliament.gov.za
