THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES


THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES – PROMOTING CO-OPERATION AND ENGAGEMENT


The National Council of Provinces uses creative processes to bring together the three spheres of government – national, provincial and local – to co-ordinate the delivery of services to the citizens of South Africa. Its current Chairperson says the NCOP deepens democracy and ensures public participation not only by including in its membership representatives of the nine provincial governments and Legislatures and local governments, but also by travelling out to meet local people in their own communities.


Hon. Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu, MP, in Cape Town. Mr Mahlangu has been the Chairperson of South Africa’s National Council of Provinces since 2005. He co-chaired the Convention for a Democratic South Africa, among other roles in ending apartheid, and was elected to the National Assembly for the African National Congress in 1994. He has been Chairperson of Committees and Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP. He also sits in the Pan- African Parliament.


Hon. Mninwa Mahlangu, MP


The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) serves as an essential link between Parliament and the provinces of South Africa, as well as municipalities. Through its work, various projects and long-term programmes, the NCOP promotes co-operative government and gives ordinary people greater access to governance. The nine provinces of South Africa each nominate 10 representatives


2 | The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue One - South Africa


to the NCOP (six of whom are permanent and four appointed by the province to attend sessions dealing with specific business interchangeably). Local authorities are represented through the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) equally with 10 seats, whose representatives can participate in NCOP meetings but may not vote. The provincial structures help


to make South Africa’s democracy a truly participative and transparent one. This is reflected in the work the NCOP has been doing since it replaced the Senate as the second House of Parliament in 1997. While the primary function of the NCOP is to represent the views of provinces, it also acts as a House of review. The NCOP has the powers to amend certain legislation, while with regards to Section 75 Bills the House can make suggestions to the National Assembly.


For legislation to be passed in


the NCOP, five of the nine provinces have to vote in favour of a Bill. A constitutional amendment (as per Section 74 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa) requires the approval of six of the nine provinces.


Getting out to the people When the NCOP celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2012, it marked the occasion with wide-ranging activities, including initiating a lecture programme titled “Project Democracy: The role of Parliament in general and the NCOP in particular.” This lecture project aims to establish a dynamic partnership with South Africa’s tertiary sector. It was launched early in 2013 with a lecture at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), an appropriate choice as this university was earmarked under apartheid as a coloured-only, second-class university. The UWC’s vigorous participation in the struggle


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