This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
PARLIAMENT: THE FIRST 20 YEARS


representatives, but many have also held prominent positions. The first three Speakers after 1994 were women: Dr F.N. Ginwala, Ms B. Mbete and Ms G.L. Mahlangu-Nkabinde. This allowed Parliament to begin to reflect the nation’s diverse community of women, a constituency long neglected.


Notably, there have been recent proposals to introduce a Gender Equality Bill, one of whose provisions may make it compulsory for political parties to nominate women as at least 50 per cent of their electoral lists, which would be a further step forward.


consequently, a shift in Parliament’s focus away from law-making to the implementation of laws and oversight of the executive. This new direction was reinforced by reforms encapsulated in an oversight model designed, first, to enhance the position of Parliament and, secondly, to build skills and capacity.


The first Parliament also inherited the rules and orders of the previous Legislature. The rules have since been amended, mostly on an ad hoc basis, to provide for new procedures. Over time the rules have also been supplemented by new conventions and practices.


The rules must now be updated to reflect modern thinking and a comprehensive review of the rules is underway. Adding to the call for a review has been the fact that a number of procedures have been challenged in the courts. In one case a Member challenged the process for the introduction of private Members’ Bills with the result that any Member is now allowed to introduce a Bill directly in Parliament without prior permission.


A significant feature of the post-1994 Parliament has been its committee system. Parliament


has put in place more than 50 committees which, aside from internal committees, broadly correspond to the government portfolios which they must oversee. As such, committees have often been called the “engine- rooms” of Parliament. Portfolio committees in the National Assembly have 12 Members each and are constituted to allow minority parties (the Assembly currently has 13 parties) an opportunity to participate. Committees in the Council generally have 9 Members, one from each province.


The constitution grants


committees considerable powers, which include the power to summon any witness to give evidence. Committees may also determine their procedures and have frequently travelled beyond the seat of Parliament in Cape Town to conduct oversight visits.


Engaging all communities, especially women


In accordance with the constitutional prescripts of openness and the need for public participation, the South African Parliament has taken steps to facilitate access to and involvement in its legislative and other affairs.


Parliament has, in contrast with the past, opened its doors so that its proceedings may be closely followed by the media and non-governmental organizations.


Parliamentary committees also proactively engage citizens when considering Bills and other matters. Reaching people who are marginalized and or line in remote areas represents a continuous challenge. Furthermore, while MPs do not represent formal constituencies, Parliament has allocated funds and programme time for Members to conduct constituency-based work in local communities.


The idea behind this initiative is to provide a direct link between Parliament and the public and thereby increase openness and accountability – issues which go to the heart of Parliament’s vision of being people- centred.


Another success of the post- 1994 Parliament has been an increase in the number of women Members. In 1994, 27 per cent of Parliament’s Members were women; in 1999 this increased to 30 per cent and in 2009 to around 40 per cent. Not only has there been an increase in the number of women


Sharing experiences Before 1994, the South African Parliament was internationally isolated and, as a consequence, it has had to rebuild its relations with the world. Parliament has since hosted many world leaders, monarchs and statespersons, many of whom have acknowledged the nation’s progress. After 1994, Parliament began to participate in a range of international fora and organizations including the Pan-African Parliament (which is now located in South Africa), the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Inter- Parliamentary Union. Participation in these organizations has allowed Parliament to draw on and share its experiences with the international community.


South Africa’s democratic Parliament has experienced many challenges in its first 20 years. One of the overarching issues is a lack of public awareness of Parliament and its functions.


This means that Parliament must continue to build public confidence and respond to the political issues of the day.


Another challenge has been a lack of institutional memory. The nature of the transition and the large turnover of Members and staff in 1994 and afterwards resulted in the loss of experience and practical knowledge. This has, however, been rebuilt over time and a new cadre of people has emerged to lead the institution forward.


The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue One - South Africa | 63


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189  |  Page 190  |  Page 191  |  Page 192  |  Page 193  |  Page 194  |  Page 195  |  Page 196  |  Page 197  |  Page 198  |  Page 199