Speaker Baleka Mbete is upbeat about the performance of the 5th Parliament
National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete is upbeat about the achievements of the 5th term of the South African Legislative Sector composed of the national Parliament and nine provincial legislatures.
Addressing a two-day legislative sector summit held at the Good Hope Chamber in Cape Town, Speaker Mbete listed the successful execution of the work of the High Level Panel (HLP) that reviewed the impact of legislation passed since 1994, strengthening of oversight, sector international work, the establishment of a central bargaining chamber for effective labour relations, as well as advanced plans for establishing a dedicated Parliamentary Institute, as some of the highlights forming the legacy of the 5th Parliament.
She announced that the Parliamentary Institute meant to accelerate the development of the appropriate human capital to realize the ideal legislative system outlined in the Constitution, will be launched before the end of the current term of Parliament. She added that the near complete South African Legislative Sector Bill aimed at strengthening cooperative governance and coordination among legislatures, is one of the projects to be handed over to the sixth Parliament alongside, among others, the HLP report.
South Africa is one of the leading countries in the world with legislatures that are bold enough to commission independent reviews of their work through among others the High-Level Panel (HLP) led by former President Kgalema Motlanthe, the adoption of a Sector Oversight Model and promotion of direct account to the citizens through Taking Parliament to the People. The legislative sector summit, themed ‘Building on the Legislative Sector Gains of the 5th Parliament’, is organized by the Speakers Forum to:
- Help assess the performance of the 5th Parliament and celebrate achievements and progress made in 25 years of democratic and representative parliament in South Africa, and
- Take stock through a legacy report of the legislative sector and prepare for a handover to the 6th Parliament with recommendations for acceleration of Parliament’s work in strengthening and deepening democracy, development and transformation of South Africa.
The advancements made on the international arena including the InterParliamentary Union, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and other continental and global governance structures of legislatures, were also highlighted as cause for celebration of the 5th Parliament's work. Challenges flagged for further work by the 6th Parliament include the separation of budgets of legislatures from the executive determinations, and in this regard, the Presiding Officers met the Head of State as well as the Minister of Finance to try and resolve the matter.
The legislative sector summit included inputs of the European Union on the existing partnership with the sector, as well as what the Parliament and Provincial Legislatures should do in the wake of the 4th Industrial Revolution. In her presentation on the implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Minister of Science and Technology Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said: "we need lawmakers who are alive to the fact that technology is about to turn societies on their heads".
Minister Kubayi-Ngubane said: "there are many opportunities for the legislative sector in this revolution, as technology will assist lawmakers with collecting information to make effective laws". She said it will also lead to higher economic productivity as there is an opportunity for making laws for equitable distribution of resources.
The summit continues tomorrow - 29 November 2018. Tomorrow’s programme includes discussions on the enhancement of public involvement in deepening and entrenching a people-centered democracy. The summit will also reflect on the recommendations of the High-Level Panel on the Assessment of Key Legislation and the Acceleration of Fundamental Change, which has concrete recommendations on dealing with challenges of poverty, inequality, unemployment and under-development.
Members of the media are invited to attend.
Details are as follows:
Date: 29 November 2018
Time: 09:00
Venue: Good Hope Chamber, Parliament
Journalists and photographers who do not have Parliamentary media access permits and wish to cover the summit should send their details to Masego Dlula on 081 715 9398 or 021 403 8141 or mdlula@parliament.gov.za
Enquiries:
Moloto Mothapo
Cell: 082 370 6930
