By BAKANG MOKOTO
14 December 2024 – Parliament said it is delighted with its progress during the first six months of operation after the National and Provincial Elections. Parliament said since the establishment of the 7th democratic administration has hit the ground running, demonstrating a strong commitment to its constitutional mandate and the people it serves.
The Speaker of the National Assembly (NA), Thoko Didiza said in this short period, Parliament has successfully convened multiple sittings, engaged in debates and passed several key pieces of legislation. Didiza said the various parliamentary committees have been particularly active, conducting oversight visits, holding public hearings and scrutinizing government actions with diligence.
“The public engagement has taken centre stage with Parliament implementing new initiatives to involve citizens in the legislative process. The institution has leveraged technology to enhance transparency and accessibility.
“This includes streaming debates and committee meetings online, while ensuring that the limited committee rooms and plenary venues are optimally utilised to accommodate members of the public,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, expressed satisfaction with the milestones achieved by the 7th Parliament so far. Mtshweni-Tsipane said the establishment of the Joint Rules Committee was a critical step, paving the way for separate Rules Committees in both Houses.
“These pre-eminent committees are responsible for developing the procedures and policies that govern the operations of the NA and the NCOP. In the NA, 34 oversight committees were established, along with the election of chairpersons and the designation of members to serve in these structures.
“These committees were configured to align with the cabinet structure, ensuring dedicated oversight of each government department and its entities. In the NCOP, 10 Select Committees were constituted and appropriately clustered to prioritise the interests of provinces in the national sphere,” she said.
Mtshweni-Tsipane said these parliamentary committees serve as the “engine room” of Parliament, overseeing the performance and accountability of various government departments. She said a priority has been placed on building the technical and resource capacity of committees to strengthen their ability to scrutinise the actions of government departments and entities.
“These committees have already made significant strides, successfully passing all departmental budgets, reviving key Bills that had lapsed at the end of the Sixth Parliament, and conducting effective oversight.
“Between July and December, the NCOP held 39 hybrid and virtual sittings, serving as important platforms for fulfilling its constitutional mandate. These sittings focused on critical areas such as budget votes, statutory appointments, the passage of legislation, and debates on pressing national issues,” said Mthsweni-Tsipane.
The Guardian 