His Excellency Deputy President, Ntate Kgalema Motlanthe,
His Excellency President of the European Union, Mr Martin Schultz,
Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, MJ Mahlangu,
Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Ms T Memela,
Honourable Speakers from the SADC Parliaments of Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania and Swaziland,
His Excellency, EU Ambassador Roland van de Geer,
Distinguished Members of the EU delegation,
Honourable Speakers of the Provincial Legislatures,
Honourable Members of Parliament and Legislatures,
Presenters,
Distinguished guests,
All protocol observed.
Good morning. It is my pleasure to welcome you to the South African Parliament, and to the South African Legislative Sector’s annual International Consultative Seminar, in Cape Town, at the foot of Table Mountain, our newest world heritage site.
Before you leave, we will make sure that you also reach the top of Table Mountain, either on foot or by cable car!
Honourable Members,
Fiscal oversight globally is a function performed by legislatures to ensure wise stewardship of public resources and efficient service delivery. The capacity of parliaments and legislatures to actively intervene in the fiscal management processes of our governments and more generally in its adoption but also in its monitoring is an indication of its effectiveness.
The role of the executive, in fiscal policy and economic development has been clearly defined and established over time. However, varying opinions and practice, if any exists, on the role Legislatures should play in economic development and transformation.
Therefore, as part of the broader responsibility and mandate as the South African Legislative Sector, we deemed it crucial to focus on “the role of legislators in Economic Development and Transformation” at this seminar.
This theme invites us to reflect not only on alternative models of economic growth and development, but also on the constitutional mandate that legislatures must carry out in these and other circumstances that our times impose on us.
This annual gathering therefore brings together the European Union, international parliaments, African Parliaments, Pan African Parliament the executive and civil society, with the specific purpose to engage with each other in specific areas of the Legislative Sector’s mandate.
Development cooperation between South Africa and the European Union, has been operational since 1995, and has focused on 13 areas which, among others, include job creation, science and technology, the environment, health and education.
Since 2009, the South African Legislative Sector and the European Union have enjoyed a dynamic partnership and successful collaboration on many fronts, in particular, enhancing and strengthening the capabilities of our Legislative Sector.
In April, 225 Members of Parliament and provincial legislatures completed their Advanced Certificates in Governance and Leadership at the University of the Witwatersrand.
As the South African Legislative Sector, we are committed to further strengthening our collaboration. We have also broadened this partnership to include our regional and continental parliaments in our common undertaking to realize a more equitable, prosperous and sustainable future.
Honourable Members,
Nobel Peace Laureate and one of Africa’s greatest sons, iNkosi Albert Luthuli, in 1964, invited Africa and I quote: “to cast her eyes beyond the past and to some extent the present with their woes and tribulations, trials and failures and some successes, and see herself as an emerging continent, bursting to freedom”.
The charter of the Organization of African Union (OAU), of 1963, envisaged, a continent where Africans are and I quote: “able to harness the natural and human resources of our continent to the total advancement of our people in all spheres of human endeavor.”
These reflections are opportune, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and more than a decade since the formation of the African Union (AU). To mark these milestones, the Heads of State declared the year 2013, as the year of Pan Africanism and the African Renaissance.
Former Member of the South African Parliament, and chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, at the recent World Economic Forum on Africa declared and I quote: “Africa’s economic pulse has quickened and is infusing our continent with a new vibrancy.”
Indeed, Africa’s time has come.
In 2013, we can proudly say, that our continent is in a much better economic position than it was at the turn of the century. Recent gains on the continent are the manifestations of profound, long-term transitions which have the potential to accelerate Africa’s Development.
Africa is fast becoming the world’s fastest growing continent, and is currently on an impressive growth and development curve. 7 out of the ten fastest growing economies are in Africa. Over the next decade its gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to rise by an average of 6 percent per year, not least thanks to foreign direct investment.
As Africans, we have also made good progress in developing our people. Life expectancy across the continent has increased by between seven to ten years, and preventable disease such as HIV and AIDS and malaria are on the decline.
Yet, amid this rosy prognosis, a plethora of challenges and potential pitfalls remain. The most obvious challenges being, the necessity for inclusive economic growth; growing the green economy and making better use of the capabilities of our human resources.
Honourable Members,
New pathways on economic growth are emerging, especially in developing countries. In particular, the Social and Solidarity Economy, which refers to forms of production and exchange that have both economic and social objectives, is gaining traction in the aftermath of the global crisis.
This shift is informed by the understanding that whilst growth is a necessary condition for development, and has indeed helped some countries climb out of poverty, more attention, especially by our governments and legislators, need to be paid to the nature and quality of socio-economic distribution of benefits to ordinary people.
At collegiate bodies such as the Inter Parliamentary Union and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, there has been consensus and resolve that, Legislators, must strengthen their oversight action on economic transformation and development.
The discussion on how economic development can serve the cause of social justice has become a strong and widely shared aspiration throughout the world. Indeed, citizens on all continents are demanding development governance and accountability so that all can benefit from this development.
Developing countries, including South Africa have for some time now been calling on world leaders to use the economic crisis as a launch pad for meaningful changes to global financial institutions, such as the Bretton Woods institutions. On this front transformation has been painfully slow.
As Africans, we have therefore welcomed the recent BRICS countries’ announcement on the establishment of a South-South Development Bank. We hope this Bank will assist BRICS countries and emerging economies to finance development.
In this regard, the time has also come for all of us to recognize the importance and significance of regional institutions to guarantee peace, security, human rights and sustainable development.
Our geo-political institutions such as the African Union, SADC Parliamentary Forum and the Pan African Parliament amongst others require not only greater visibility but above all greater support from all of us to realise our aspirations of economic integration, inclusive growth and collective action.
In this regard, Members of Parliament must play their role by:
- Strengthening our oversight function on international treaties and agreements, and;
- Increasing the inputs of parliament into new global policies.
Honourable Members,
Since the advent of democracy, South Africa has made remarkable progress on many fronts.
In particular, the building of an inclusive society, rolling back the shadow of history and broadening opportunities for all our people. We have however grappled and continue to grapple with persistent poverty and inequality as well as range of other developmental challenges.
In particular, the high unemployment rate has remained our Achilles heel. Recent figures from Statistics South Africa, on unemployment paints a bleak picture. The figures show that 4,6 million of our people between the ages of 15 to 64 are unemployed, the highest since 2008!
These statistics underscore the importance of legislators becoming the drivers of inclusive economic growth, development and transformation. In 2012, Parliament approved the National Development Plan, a 30 year development roadmap to spur inclusive economic growth and development for more people in our country.
The successful implementation of the National Development Plan, however, requires that legislators, and the entire society, become its champions. In practice this requires of us to become familiar with every aspect of this Plan, and to ensure that it is integrated into our oversight and legislative processes.
It also necessitates Joint and Common approaches as well as mature leadership both in government and from communities to see this Plan through.
Honourable Members,
As mentioned earlier, the international development community is refocusing its attention on sustainable development pathways. The Rio plus 2012 United Nations Conference called for countries, including Parliamentarians, to adopt integrated approaches which advance economic, social and environmental objectives simultaneously.
This is also the thinking that prevails in relation to the post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals agenda. As Parliamentarians we must not miss the opportunity to part of the processes which will shape the post 2015 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Failure to do so, will be an abdication of our responsibility to act in the best interest of the poor and the vulnerable in our society.
Honourable Members,
Over the course of the next two days, the ensuing discussions must provide us with A Way Forward with respect to:
- How we as a collective, strengthen Parliaments and Legislatures role in long-term sustainable economic growth and development
- How we elevate the importance of Legislatures in Fiscal Management; and improve relevant oversight mechanisms
- More practically, this gathering should identify the mechanism by which we strengthen Parliamentary and Legislative collaboration and exchanges in SA, the region, the African continent and globally.
Let this international seminar not only diagnose problems, but let us together propose solutions to the challenges we identified, and let’s turn these solutions into real and meaningful outcomes.
Let us start thinking out of the box, let us together search for new approaches and solutions to the major challenges facing our respective nations, and our world at large.
Nelson Mandela reminded us and I quote: “… democracy itself, cannot survive unless the material needs of the people, the bread and butter issues, are addressed as part of the process of change and as a matter of urgency.
“It should never be that the anger of the poor should be the finger of accusation pointed at all of us because we failed to respond to the cries of the people for food, for shelter, for the dignity of the individual.”
I thank you!
