JOURNEY TO A RAINBOW NATION
Parliament hosted the first interfaith dialogue, under the auspices of the Parliamentary Inter-faith Council (PIC), which brought together Members of Parliament from various political parties, representatives of interfaith bodies from all over the country and representatives of the national executive. Issues discussed included religion and politics in a secular state, the role of the interfaith movement in conflict resolutions, peace-building and development in Africa, and COP17 climate change. On 30 October 2012, the PIC hosted a conference on nation-building, which cemented the institution’s activist character. At its apex is the advancement of people-centred programmes that are responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people. It recognises the important role that the interfaith movement plays in the resolution of conflicts, creation of peace, nation building and development. The formation of the Inter-faith Council and the hosting of the dialogue conference demonstrate how seriously Parliament takes the role of the interfaith movement in our society as agents for progressive social change. More than 80 per cent of South African society practices religion and therefore it is important that Parliament, as a true representative of the people, partners with religious bodies in its endeavour to solve our country’s challenges. In November 2012, NICSA, the Parliamentary Inter-faith Council and the Interfaith Action for Peace in Africa (IFAPA) launched an Interfaith Dialogue on nation-building and social cohesion. In his address President Zuma reiterated the need for collaborative relationships between government, the public sector and the national interfaith movement. Part of the PIC’s programme is to initiate the establishment of religious Parliaments and work with provinces to align these structures so that there are co-ordinated and integrated programmes to consolidate the nation-building capacity of Parliament and the nine provincial Legislatures. Working together with IFAPA, these
initiatives have created a sound framework for parliamentary activism in social cohesion and nation-building.
Partners in nation-building Madiba spoke extensively of the kind of community spirit that is required to build the nation of South Africa, calling for a mutually symbiotic relationship between people and communities, which translates into civic duty. He highlighted the need to recognize that we have to maintain a reciprocal relationship and restore to our communities part of what we have gained. As we move forward to build this nation, we remember his words: “As we reconstruct the material conditions of our existence, we must also change our way of thinking, to respect the value and result of honest
of divergent interests, with widely different views. Yet we share a common desire for a better life, and to live in peace and harmony. We share a common conviction that never shall we return to a time of division and strife. From this common purpose we must forge a partnership for reconstruction, development and progress.”
The President envisaged a partnership that not only extends to all institutions and spheres of government in our democracy, but also involves the private sector, all communities and civil society formations. He called on such partnerships to look critically at the strategic priorities of the fourth Parliament, notably nation-building, and to devise programmes to ensure
“As an organ of the state, Parliament has a duty to respond to the constitutional imperatives laid out for it, both in terms of the specific responsibilities assigned to it by the higher-order values and the objectives embodied in the preamble and chapter 4 of the constitution.”
work and to treat each law of the country as our own. This is our call to all South Africans to firm up the moral fibre of our nation….The struggle for democracy has never been a matter pursued by one race, class, religious community or gender among South Africans….The challenge is to foster a nation in which all people, irrespective of race, colour, sex, religion or creed, can assert social cohesion fully.” At his inauguration, President Zuma called on all South Africans to renew their commitment to nation- building and the advancement of social cohesion.
“Now is indeed a moment of renewal. It is an opportunity to rediscover that which binds us together as a nation. The unity of our nation should be a priority for all sectors of our society. We are a people of vastly different experiences,
28 | The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue One - South Africa
the realization of these priorities. It is widely acknowledged that building socially cohesive communities, nations and ultimately a strong continent requires not only material progress, but also acts aimed at the psychological emancipation of the people of Africa. The scars of centuries of suppression coupled with skewed global power relations and a mass media hell-bent on portraying only negative images of South Africa and Africa makes this a difficult objective to achieve. To combat Afro-pessimism and prevent future incidents of xenophobia (specifically) targeting Africans from other parts of the continent, there is a need to instil among all South Africans national and African pride in our African heritage. Coupled with this is the imperative to deepen democracy, while highlighting human rights and social justice.
Parliamentary leadership The constitutional imperative of nation-building and social cohesion requires a multiparty permanent structure located within the legislative system. The realization of this constitutional imperative requires a focused nation-building and African heritage programme that integrates all these elements in an effective tool aimed at contributing to the full emancipation of all South African people and providing a platform for multiparty participation in the renewal and development of the continent. For holistic development to take place, we need to rediscover our common humanity. From the outset Mr Mandela observed that spiritual transformation is a prerequisite for social and economic transformation. He defined spiritual transformation as the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) of the soul. Madiba insisted that freedom must include the freedom of the mind, body and soul to find fulfilment. This would decolonize the African mind and heal the scars on the African psyche left by centuries of slavery, colonialism and apartheid. The achievement of holistic development requires an activist Parliament and Legislatures that know where the people live, what they fear and what they aspire to, and that take proactive steps to address their fears and minister to their needs. Traditionally Parliaments exist to pass laws and oversee government action; this narrow perspective is however augmented by international parliamentary practice.
To this end some examples of parliamentary practice beyond mere law-making and oversight are worth highlighting. The activist role of Parliaments has led to the establishments of parliamentary mechanisms to address specific challenges, such as Islamophobia and xenophobia.
With the rise of Islamophobia in Europe, the European Parliament established a permanent structure within its committee system to monitor and devise programmes to address challenges associated with this scourge. Although Members
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