Hon Deputy Speaker, hon Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, hon Members of Parliament and esteemed guests, good afternoon to you all. This month, the month of June, is Youth Month in South Africa. This year we commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Soweto and related uprisings of 1976.
Hon members, we remember and honour the bravery of these young people in putting their lives on the line against the might of the apartheid regime. We remember with pride their fight for the right to live as free human beings in the land of their birth, the land of their fathers, and the land of their forbears since time immemorial. Parliament's theme for this year's Youth Month is, appropriately: Youth action for economic freedom in our lifetime.
Deputy Speaker, the latest economic estimate is that 42% of our young people aged between 18 and 29 are out of school and unemployed. Government has set itself a job creation target of 500 000 opportunities per year. Our oversight role, therefore, should be to critically examine the impediments to job creation and make recommendations on our findings.
The Business Report of 20 June 2011 - yesterday's Report - quoted an International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook report, which upgrades South Africa's growth estimates from 3,5% to 4%. Whilst we are heartened by this news, we agree with the Minister of Finance when he says:
The South African growth path ... is not measurable by GDP alone. It must be an inclusive growth, which especially benefits the many South Africans who have been left behind.
Similarly, we need to develop new approaches to how legislatures are involved in the measurement of progress, factoring in developmental deficits and gains.
We are now almost halfway through the Fourth Parliament. Our country has just held very successful local government elections. The level of enthusiasm and high voter turnout signify the vibrancy of our polity and the faith of the people in our democratic institutions and our democratic dispensation.
At the beginning of this year, Parliament adopted the theme: Celebrating the legacy of freedom through strengthening links to the public. Our intention was to place emphasis on our core function, namely that of representing and reflecting the will of our people in our work.
Last year the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, convened a ground-breaking conference on e-Parliaments. One of the areas examined was a way in which technology can be used to link up parliamentarians with their constituencies. While technology will enhance the way we work, we must be cognisant that most in our country do not have access to information communication technology. In the absence of technological solutions, members' constituency offices still remain the frontline of contact with the people - the barometer by which we can measure real change. Also, the pilot project on parliamentary democracy offices is currently being reviewed and the report, which will be considered by the relevant parliamentary structures, will be available at the end of this month, June.
In determining the budget allocations in Vote No 2 for the 2011-12 year, we took into account the spending trends over the last three years and the alignment of Parliament's strategic policy imperatives with the budget. The executive authority and Parliamentary Oversight Authority decided that only the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework indicative percentage increases should be requested for 2011-12.
I now wish to outline the progress made in the implementation of the five key areas of delivery in our strategic plan, namely: firstly, to build an effective and efficient institution; secondly, to strengthen the oversight function; thirdly, to increase public participation; fourthly, to improve co-operative governance; and, finally, to expand Parliament's role in international relations.
The strategic objective to build an effective and efficient institution is of paramount importance. The budget makes provision for the strengthening of the Offices of the Speaker, the Chairperson and the Secretary to Parliament. The role of House Chairpersons located in the Office of the Speaker and the Office of the Chairperson has continued to evolve. House Chairpersons have taken on additional responsibilities, for example, the work around information and communication technologies and the setting up of structures to give effect to the work of the Parliamentary Group on International Relations.
In addition, funding has been allocated to the unit dealing with the bodies listed in Chapter 9 and Chapter 10 of the Constitution. This unit, located in the Office of the Speaker and headed by the Deputy Speaker, is designed specifically to co-ordinate activities between Parliament and the Chapter 9 and related institutions. The unit supports the work of committees to ensure that we enhance the level of Parliament's support to these institutions in furthering their constitutional mandates.
Parliament has also invested in the upgrading of its communications, audiovisual and computer systems to improve our communications both internal and external.
For some time now Parliament has grappled with the issue of inadequate office and committee room space. Through successive parliaments plans have been discussed in the multiparty Political Oversight Authority. Clearly, there is a need to make sure that Members of Parliament have adequate offices and that the committee rooms are also adequate. Ideally, we should have a designated room for every committee of Parliament. That's the ideal situation. [Applause.]
To set the record straight, the Department of Public Works has, as you have seen, demolished buildings on two sites upon which offices for Members of Parliament and committee rooms will be erected. [Applause.] The funds for this project will be sourced by the Department of Public Works, working closely with Parliament.
Continuous evaluation of Parliament's organisational structure has highlighted inefficiencies in some areas when meeting Parliament's strategic objectives. One of these areas is the inadequate committee support system. This evaluation identified the need to reorganise the functions of the Legislation and Oversight Division into two separate divisions. A project has been established to develop these divisions which will focus on dedicated support to committees and the language services department. It is planned that this project will be completed by October 2011, in time for additional budget needs to be incorporated in the budget process for the financial year 2012-13.
The strategic plan indicates clearly that adequate rules need to be developed to provide for the effective functioning of oversight. Provision is therefore made in this budget for an oversight unit. The Oversight and Accountability Model will be launched in book form, along with a procedural guide to committees. This will be done later today. [Applause.]
In discussions with members and chairpersons of committees, the view has been expressed that there is a need for more on-site visits to monitor the delivery of services at the point where the people are supposed to benefit. In this regard, the budget allocation for more on-site visits has been increased by 11% over the budget allocations of 2010-11. [Applause.]
Hon members, as you know, concerns have been raised in respect of attendance in the House and its committees, and this matter needs to be urgently looked at by the Whips. In addition to this, I have also noted the concerns of members of the House in respect of questions to the executive and the availability of Ministers to respond to matters raised during Members' Statements. We will continue to look at these matters to find solutions that ensure that Parliament is not in any way impeded in fulfilling its constitutional mandates.
Funding for public involvement and participation in sectoral parliaments has increased, as has funding for dissemination of information on the functioning of Parliament and the facilitation of public access to Parliament. Since last year's Budget Vote, I can report that, following a directive from the Joint Rules Committee, a project plan for the development of a public participation model for the institution has been put in place. The project team is now working and fully operational.
With respect to improving co-operative governance, the strategic plan provides for improved mechanisms and the development of protocols to guide and govern the relationships between the different spheres of government and organs of state.
Deputy Speaker, the Speakers' Forum, composed of Speakers of the national and provincial parliaments, is a platform where we bring these principles to life. We meet every quarter and provide strategic guidance on the core mandates of the legislatures, which includes issues of governance, financial management and members' interests.
Under the auspices of the Speakers' Forum, a consultative seminar was held in March this year with the participation of provincial Speakers and secretaries. Also in attendance were members of the European Union. The focus was on four Millennium Development Goals, namely education, social development, environment and co-operative governance. Following this meeting, we established a project to produce a report detailing the South African legislative sector's contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
With respect to the improvement and expansion of the international relations aspect of our work, I am pleased to report that the support service, the International Relations Section, was elevated to the level of a division and a new head of the International Relations Division, a former ambassador, has been appointed to head this division.
At the regional level, we have continued to support the Pan-African Parliament, based in Midrand and hosted by South Africa. We continue to provide capacity-building assistance. Officials from our administration have assisted the Pan-African Parliament administration in the areas of strategic planning and finance management, amongst others.
We also continue to participate in the programmes of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, including its election observer and monitoring missions. Our parliament hosted training in election monitoring for Members of Parliaments of the SADC region. We have agreed to second a staff member specialising in gender policy and implementation to the SADC Parliamentary Forum.
Our country, government and people will be hosting the Conference of the Parties 17, COP 17, conference on climate change in Durban in December 2011. Parliament is embarking on an extensive programme of action, which includes training for members, advocacy and awareness, and a stakeholder consultative seminar. In addition, the South African Parliament is hosting an IPU meeting on climate change in Durban in December. This meeting will endorse a draft declaration from the South African Parliament which will be presented to Conference of the Parties on behalf of the IPU.
We will also be hosting the Globe International Legislators Forum in Parliament from 2 to 4 December. The main objective of this meeting is to gain a clearer understanding among legislators on global environmental and sustainable development issues, including climate change, land use, biodiversity and ecosystems decline.
Deputy Speaker, the Fourth Parliament has devoted considerable energy and resources to the implementation of the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act. You will recall that last year I made reference to the potential impact of this piece of legislation and the necessity for parliamentarians to be familiar with the Act and its provisions. In this regard, you will all be aware of the training that Parliament has facilitated.
As a part of this process, the presiding officers undertook two study tours, one led by me and one by the Chairperson of the NCOP. The visits took us to Kenya, Germany, Sweden, Japan and the Republic of Korea. The objectives of the study tours included examining the extent of amendment powers in identified parliaments, and the relationship between these parliaments and other branches and agencies of the state.
We were struck by the high level and quality of personnel support that Members of Parliament and committees receive. Although we are aware that we will be unable to reach those levels in the short-term, we are, however, working on strengthening our support services - especially content and research - so that our members will be able to carry out their work more effectively and efficiently.
Upon our return from these trips, we convened a workshop with chairpersons of portfolio and select committees, and key administrative officials of Parliament to present our findings and debate the possibilities of further enhancing our work. After much robust discussion, it was agreed that the Technical Committee and Political Task Team would consolidate the report and propose a model to suit our needs and resources.
Hon members, you will be pleased to learn that Parliament spent 99% of its total budget allocation during the 2010-11 financial year. [Applause.] Parliament also utilised R45,5 million of retained funds during this financial year to fund - to answer your question - upgrading and improvements to committee rooms, offices and information technology equipment and systems. [Applause.]
Retained funds represent the underspending of prior years and the interest earned on those funds. Parliament has in the past few years utilised these funds in areas where there were immediate needs which could not be funded through appropriated funds and from the national fiscus. The improvements to the NCOP Chamber currently under way, as well as those intended for the National Assembly Chamber, which will commence during this financial year, will be funded from retained funds. The effect of all of this is that the balance of retained funds will soon be depleted, which is a good sign, as Parliament should continue to ensure that all voted funds are spent in the year as planned.
There has been some underspending in this financial year. This has, in the main, been in the programme for members' facilities, the delays in the implementation of the language policy and the delays in the appointment of content and research specialist support staff.
In further reviewing previous budget performance, we find that the total allocation to committees of the National Assembly in the 2010-11 financial year, excluding internal management committees and joint committees, was R34,4 million. Preliminary indications are that committees spent 100% of the budget that was allocated, and an additional R4 million to cover international travel expenses. In short, committees have been able to spend 100% of the funds allocated to them.
Hon members, I am pleased to confirm that Parliament received an unqualified report from the Office of the Auditor-General. [Applause.] There were, however, matters of emphasis that relate to the basis of accounting used and expenditure management. Parliament has established a team to address the issues raised by the Auditor-General to ensure improved financial management of Parliament. I am assured by the Secretary to Parliament that these issues will be addressed in the next audit phase. I take this opportunity to commend the Secretary to Parliament and his team for ensuring another unqualified report for Parliament ... [Applause.] ... and for making such strides in improving the financial management environment of Parliament.
I now wish to turn to the actual allocations in the 2011-12 financial year. This year Parliament received a total allocation of R1,675 billion, an increase of just over 5% relative to last year's budget allocation. This represents 1,2%, or roughly 2%, of the total national budget.
The figure of R1,675 billion is divided into five programme areas. The allocation for the administration of Parliament is R350 million, which is an increase of 1,2% over the R346 million of the 2010-11 financial year.
The allocation for legislation and oversight is R296 million, which is 1,3% less than the R300 million of the 2010-11 financial year. Of this, R50 million goes to committees, which represents a R5 million or 11% increase for this financial year.
The allocation for public and international participation is R109 million, which is an increase of 38% over the R79 million for the 2010-11 financial year.
The allocation for members' facilities is R222 million, which represents an increase of 14% over the R194 million of 2010-11.
The allocation for financial support to political parties totals R288 million, which is an increase of 2,1% over the R282 million for 2010- 11.
Members' remuneration is a direct charge against the National Revenue Fund and amounts to R410 million. And that, hon members, in a nutshell, wraps up the actual allocations. Later in this debate House Chairpersons Frolick, Hajaig and Skosana will be speaking in more detail about their programmes and the issues raised.
Hon members, all over the world widening pockets of inequality, poverty and increased joblessness are challenges governments have to find solutions for. The National Planning Commission has tabled its first diagnostic report in Parliament.
We note that the report places particular emphasis on political accountability and parliamentary oversight as key markers of democratic order. It states that the political leadership should acknowledge and support the legislature's constitutional mandate to hold government to account. On the other hand, Parliament must ensure that it has sufficient research and analytical capacity to scrutinise legislation and policy implementation. In essence, Parliament must ensure that it pursues its oversight mandate with vigour and integrity so that we not only hold government to account for the promises made to the people, but we also hold ourselves and each other accountable to the people who have placed their trust in us.
I am reminded of the statement made during the United Nations, UN, Millennium Summit of 2000 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon when he said:
... we must make sure that promises made become promises kept. The consequences of doing otherwise are profound ...
I am also reminded of the words of former President Nelson Mandela, who said:
It should never be that the anger of the poor should be the finger of accusation pointed at all of us because have we failed to respond to the cries of the people for food, shelter, for the dignity of the individual.
I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Deputy Speaker, hon Deputy President and esteemed members of this House, the Freedom Charter says that no government can claim authority unless it is based on the will of the people. The 1994 democratic breakthrough opened the door for the people of South Africa as a whole, both black and white, to elect a government of their choice.
The ANC enriched the democratic culture by making democracy both representative and participatory. The choice of today's theme, Celebrating the legacy of freedom through strengthening links to the public, is most fitting for the unique character of our democratic dispensation, which puts the people first.
Under our Constitution, the government derives its authority and legitimacy to rule from the people. Elections do not give public representatives a five-year licence to do what they like and come back at the end of that period to seek another mandate to do as they please.
The people as a whole, regardless of which party they have voted for, have the right to participate in the legislative and other processes. The structures of Parliament, notably the portfolio committees, party caucuses and constituency offices, are structured in such a way as to involve the masses of the people in the legislative and other processes.
Our Constitution established three spheres of government and enjoins them to work together in terms of the principle of co-operative governance. This principle applies to both the executive and the legislative branch of government.
Hon Deputy Speaker, the ANC believes that the resolve of the hon Speaker to strengthen Parliament's link with the public and facilitate public participation and involvement in legislative and other processes, and its participation in international relations are perfectly in line with the activist character of this Parliament.
We therefore welcome this opportunity to make inputs into your transformation agenda, hon Speaker. Before we do so, we also need to highlight the importance of the image and integrity of this Parliament. As public representatives, we are the custodians of the will of all South Africans, both black and white.
In 2009, we saw ordinary South Africans, old and young, queuing until midnight to vote and give us a mandate to represent their will in this House. But, on more than one occasion this House has failed to pass legislation because of absenteeism without good cause, a betrayal of the people's trust. Hon Speaker, we note your concern about this matter and we will take action. Empty benches, either of backbenchers or members of the executive, of all parties, erode the image and integrity of this institution and betray the trust that the people have placed in us. Hon Speaker and Deputy Speaker, we are hereby giving notice that we shall act in defence of the people and the image and integrity of this House without any further delay. [Applause.]
We welcome your resolve to strengthen the oversight role of this Parliament, but wish to make it abundantly clear that this oversight relates to government departments, and not to the Presidency.
The confusion in this matter was occasioned by a lack of clarity on the status of the Ministry of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, as well as Administration in the Presidency. Minister Collins Chabane has advised us that this department will be autonomous like other departments. Thus, Parliament may establish a portfolio committee or allocate it to another committee, as is the case now with regard to the Appropriations Committee, to oversee the department, but not the Presidency. [Applause.]
We are also of the firm view that the National Planning Commission is not a government department, properly designated as such, which needs oversight by this Parliament. Let us, therefore, once and for all focus on oversight of government departments, and not the Presidency. Besides, we have many portfolio committees which are overstretching our hardworking Members of Parliament and making them ineffective. We shall have to review these committees and rationalise them. The ANC supports the initiative to extend Parliament's buildings. As matters stand now, the environment in this Parliament is not conducive to productivity. Members of Parliament have to walk long distances to attend meetings; there is a shortage of appropriate offices for chairpersons of committees and their staff; and we do not have dedicated offices for big committees. [Applause.] It will be cost-effective to extend the parliamentary buildings to accommodate MPs and their staff. We also welcome your resolve, hon Speaker, to increase research and analytic capacity for our MPs.
With regard to the Whippery, it is the driver of the legislature's programmes in all three spheres of the legislative sector which are interconnected, interdependent and integrated. The Whippery requires a Chief Whips' Forum modelled after the Speakers' Forum, which is similarly resourced to ensure co-ordination and integration of the programmes of the three spheres of the legislative sector.
The multiparty Chief Whips' Forum also needs to be resourced to enable it to interact and work together with the Whippery in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CPA, and, in particular, to participate in the CPA's Chief Whips' Network.
Our Whippery has already received a delegation from the chief whip of parliament of the Republic of Tanzania, who is also a cabinet minister, who came to exchange views and information with us.
On 28 to 30 June we shall receive a delegation from the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, MPLA, which will be meeting, with chairpersons of committees, with our Department of International Relations and Co-operation, and also leaders of political parties. We believe that the multiparty Chief Whips' Forum should also be resourced to be able to conduct decent party-to-party relationships.
With regard to public participation and involvement in sectoral parliaments, sectoral parliaments are important mechanisms for public participation. We have had successful women's and youth parliaments. Religious parliaments still leave much to be desired. Some provinces established religious parliaments which they could not sustain because of a lack of clarity on the objectives of these parliaments. Sectoral parliaments within the three spheres of Parliament need to talk to each other and consult on cross-cutting issues. This would assist in policy formulation and legislative interventions where necessary.
To that end, the Parliamentary Interfaith Council, Pic, will be convening the Parliamentary Interfaith Dialogue involving provincial legislatures and the National Interfaith Movement, Nim, composed of the National Religious Leaders Forum, NRLF, and the National Interfaith Leaders Council, Nilc. The two organisations met on 5 January 2011 and agreed to form a single national interfaith organisation. They appointed a steering committee consisting of 14 members. It is hoped that the National Interfaith Movement will also assist faith-based organisations to make policy inputs into legislative and other processes in a co-ordinated way, and to map out their developmental role in partnership with government.
In the January 8 Statement of 2010, President Jacob Zuma said that human development has both a spiritual and material aspect and he undertook to work together with the National Interfaith Leaders Council to create cohesive, caring and sustainable communities. On 17 February 2011 he told this National Assembly:
We welcome the decision of the National Religious (Leaders) Forum and the National Interfaith Leaders Council to form a single National Interfaith Movement. We look forward to working with the movement to mobilize society in promoting job creation, skills development and other national programmes.
We trust that the Parliamentary Interfaith Dialogue in July will come with a programme of action to present to the Presidential Interfaith Summit on 25 August 2011. Such a programme could serve as a basis for partnership between the government and the National Interfaith Movement.
Reaffirming the critical importance of public participation, President Zuma said:
Our government has always derived its strength from the people and from working with various structures of society. We cannot change the lives of our people working alone ... We indeed have to galvanize all our people to work together to release themselves from poverty. We will work with National Interfaith Leaders Council and other formations to ensure that we remain grounded on promoting humanity and Ubuntu.
He went on to reaffirm the activist character of our Parliament in the following terms:
We also said in the State of the Nation Address that the defining feature of this government will be that it knows where our people live, understands what their needs are and will respond faster. We will not allow a distance to arise between government and its people. We do not want to be surprised by anger, nor shall we take our people, especially the poor, for granted. We want to understand issues as they arise and intervene timeously. We will meet with business, labour, youth, religious sector, women and various sectors to ensure that we build this movement for reconstruction and development together. We want to make this a year of action for everyone, not just government.
With regard to international relations, political parties represented in Parliament have a major role to play in the international arena. They are participating in structures such as the Pan-African Parliament, Pap, Inter- Parliamentary Union, IPU, Southern African Development Community, SADC, and the United Nations. Moreover, participation of political parties in these forums and reporting back to Parliament is not the extent of it. The work done in these forums is about the wellbeing of the masses of African people throughout the length and breadth of the continent.
Besides that, agreements reached in international forums and bilateral agreements concluded by the executive have to be ratified by Parliament on behalf of the people. This means that Parliament, through appropriate structures, should report back to and seek the concurrence of the people on international agreements and treaties.
As Parliament, we need to improve the participation of the people in national and international debates. For instance, the upcoming COP 17 Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework convention on climate change in Durban from 28 November to 9 December 2011 should be used as a rallying point to inform and mobilise our communities around issues of the environment. A repeat of the Mapungubwe Rain and Environment Programme of October 2010 could serve as the best community mobilisation for COP 17.
We as political party representatives here welcome the invitation that you received from the IPU to host a parallel event at the conference. You have our full backing for that exercise.
The slave trade, colonialism and apartheid have wounded the African personality and it needs to be reconstructed and developed morally and socially. Our icon, Nelson Mandela, called this the reconstruction and development programme of the soul.
Nelson Mandela told the religious leaders summit in 1997 that religious and political leaders could not achieve their objectives in isolation, because social and economic transformation could not be achieved without spiritual transformation. The international community has also recognised and acknowledged the damage that the slave trade and colonialism did to the African personality, forcibly depriving it of its self-knowledge, self- esteem, self-worth, and culture of self-help and self-reliance, as well as the sense of progress and development. We are confident that the Parliamentary Interfaith Council will contribute to the necessary healing process.
The international community decided to address this situation by declaring 2011 the International Year for People of African Descent and calling on member states to adopt positive measures to this end.
The ANC centenary celebration should reinforce this international initiative. As hon Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister of Home Affairs, told this august House, the ANC centenary celebration is not a partisan affair; it is a celebration of all the people of South Africa, Africa, her Diaspora and the world. This was affirmed by the national chairperson of the ANC, former Speaker of this House, Ms Baleka Mbete, who briefed political parties in Parliament today.
Marking the release of our icon, Nelson Mandela, from prison on 11 February 1990, President Jacob Zuma had this to say on the centenary:
During the course of this year, we will mark the centenary of the establishment of the Union of South Africa. This created a unitary state. Significantly, the exclusion of black people from this Union was one of the chief reasons for the formation of the African National Congress ...
While the centenary of the Union of South Africa reminds us of the formalisation of a racially discriminatory constitutional order and the violation of the fundamental rights of black people, the ANC centenary will reflect the struggle for equality, freedom, fraternity and justice for all the people of South Africa, both black and white.
In celebrating the ANC centenary on a nonpartisan basis and as a nation, we shall be recommitting ourselves to reconciliation, national unity, nonracialism and the struggle to build the new South African society that our icon, Nelson Mandela, described in his 1963 treason trial as the African agenda.
Nelson Mandela and other founders of our nation were inspired by the spirit of progressive Pan-Africanism. The President of the Republic, hon Jacob Zuma, supported the call to rekindle this spirit by mobilising all sectors of society locally and in Africa for African renewal, advancement and development.
On 25 May 2011, we celebrated Africa Day around this theme. We thank the Office of the Speaker and, in particular, the Deputy Speaker for leading this process. Going forward, Africa Day should be celebrated through multiparty sectoral programmes designed to raise popular awareness of the African agenda.
As the African Renaissance strives in the modern world to take control of its future and achieve a united continent, South Africans require a full and accurate understanding of their own past and their own place within the greater community of nations. Africa is attempting to revive and reposition herself in the global system.
To address this situation, the presiding officers of Parliament initiated the Parliamentary Interfaith project - now called the Nation-building and Heritage Committee - focusing on perspectives of Africa. We believe that this will assist us, in particular, in addressing challenges and tasks that arise from the New Partnership for Africa's Development, Nepad. Hon Speaker, we are determined to put Nepad programmes high on the agenda of this programme. We have no doubt that, with your very effective and efficient capacity to manage the resources of this Parliament to the point of getting an unqualified report, we will receive the necessary support from your Office.
Hon Speaker, I have the pleasure to say that the ANC supports your transformation agenda and your vision, and we support this Budget Vote wholeheartedly. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Madam Deputy Speaker and Mr Deputy President, two words stood out from the addresses of both the Speaker and the Chief Whip of the Majority Party, and they were "oversight" and "accountability". Nothing gives more focus or more amply illustrates the need for these than another project that was announced, and that was the building of office space.
I think we need to get some clarity as far as this is concerned, because if we look at the Space Utilisation Project that was announced in early 2000, it went beyond just office space. It included a new Chamber, a banqueting hall, visitor centres, restaurants and apartments for visiting guests. This Parliament needs to know exactly what the status of those projects is. Is this an extension, or the building of a new Parliament by staff?
The genesis of this issue was a presentation of the entire project to the Parliamentary Oversight Authority in July 2007, soon after I was appointed as Chief Whip of the Opposition. At that meeting I asked a number of questions, and those questions are still relevant now: whether a needs analysis had been done; what the costing and budget for the project were; what the tender process was; if there was a consultation process; and which responsible body had approved such a project.
It immediately became apparent that the conceptualisation and planning - as it is now - of the project, as well as the approval of expenditure was cloaked in secrecy. Once again, it is secret.
What also became apparent was that the whole project had been given approval by the presiding officers, without any of the aforementioned processes having been completed. Most importantly - and I'm sure that is the case now - an appropriate tender process had not been embarked upon in respect of the conceptualisation and the design of the project. The latter point is important, as what did emerge was that the presiding officers had awarded the project without due process, having been followed. It was awarded to MMA Architects, a director of which is or was Luyanda Mpahlwa, the brother of the then Minister of Trade and Industry.
In August 2007 the then Speaker responded to an enquiry by me as to the need for a new precinct by stating that the current buildings were designed for a different dispensation and were inadequate for the needs of Parliament. She claimed that the National Assembly Chamber was too small for Joint Sittings. Well, how many sittings do we have? Parliament and the presiding officers did not have suitable banqueting facilities. Cape Town is full of banqueting facilities! The suites for the President and the Deputy President were too small for current requirements.
Mr Speaker, are these still on the table, or are they once and for all off the table? All this happened when the Minister of Finance was telling the nation to tighten their belts, an entreaty that is even more relevant today. The total cost of the project then was R1,4 billion and, billing it in today's money, it is close to R2 billion's worth of public money to be spent on a project of this nature. Exactly how much are we spending now? We do not know. When the then Speaker, Baleka Mbete, moved on, I was of the view that the whole project had appropriately been shelved. It now seems to be springing to life in an ad hoc way!
The critical question has to be: What are Parliament's mechanisms of exercising oversight over a project of this nature? I have searched the records and found no resolution of the Parliamentary Oversight Authority, POA, or any other body's approving of that project or the building of the offices opposite. Indeed, we have no appropriate mechanisms.
The question also needs to be asked: How many hospitals, clinics, houses, schools or libraries could be built with such money? In truth, that grand project seems to have been nothing more than a lavish act of self- indulgence.
It is clear that Parliament's own systems and oversight mechanisms are desperately in need of review and strengthening. The need to have strong appropriate mechanisms put in place to exercise oversight over the decisions of the presiding officers - as I believe - manifests, as well as the need to introduce mechanisms to bring them to account. The infrequent meetings of the Parliamentary Oversight Authority, with their packed agendas and limited time scales, are clearly inadequate for this purpose.
One such mechanism which was passed by Parliament in 2009 was an Act regulating the financial management of this institution. Chapter 2 of the Financial Management of Parliament Act creates such an oversight mechanism, a kind of Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Scopa, for Parliament - an independent body to oversee and ensure that all revenue, expenditure, assets and liabilities are managed efficiently, effectively and transparently.
This is something that this Parliament desperately needs. However, despite Rules to implement the Act having been adopted by the Joint Rules Committee twice in 2009 and once again in 2010, the Act has not been implemented. The reason, I am advised, is that there is a belief by some of the presiding officers that they need to be represented on the oversight mechanism. Madam Deputy Speaker, such would be akin to a ministerial department, when appearing before Scopa, demanding to be represented by the Minister on that Scopa committee! It is meant to be an independent body.
The Speaker referred to the Oversight and Accountability Model. It is quite ironic that at the very time that the new Parliament was being promoted behind close doors and implementation of the Financial Management of Parliament Act blocked, a very good document entitled Oversight and Accountability Model was being produced by Parliament.
One of the important functions of the oversight model named in the document is to improve the transparency of the institutions of government so as to improve public trust. This is an important document which sets out a unique overview and oversight in the South African context. I quote:
... oversight entails the informal and formal, watchful, strategic and structured scrutiny exercised by the legislatures in respect of the implementation of laws, the application of the budget, and the strict observance of statutes and the Constitution. In addition, and most importantly, it entails overseeing the effective management of government departments by individual members of Cabinet in pursuit of improved service delivery for the achievement of a better quality of life for all citizens.
Now, let me just make the point that democracy and a better life for all are not advanced by the erection of new parliamentary buildings or the compilation of excellent oversight models. The model is an excellent one, but it does not help if Members of Parliament, MPs, are unwilling to exercise the scrutiny referred to, to ask the tough questions and to demand appropriate answers.
What does it help if, having received the answers, they are unwilling or unable to bring the executive appropriately to account? What needs to be fostered in this institution is not just another set of rules or a model, but a culture of oversight and accountability.
We don't have that in this Parliament at all. What we do have is just the opposite: a culture where the executive ducks and dives; where questions often remained unanswered or inadequately answered; where replies to debates or statements in the House are of frustrations or just nonreplies; and where accountability to Parliament is avoided at every turn.
What we need to develop more than models is a culture where the executive recognises the role given to Members of Parliament and their obligation to exercise oversight; where the executive accepts accountability; where the executive is responsive to Parliament and treats it with respect; and where Ministers answer questions and respond appropriately to debates and statements in the House. All this goes well beyond the mere acceptance and formal approval of another oversight model. It speaks to the underlying values of our democracy.
One final word in respect of our failure to exercise oversight since 2002 this Parliament has been drafting interim Rules for the scrutiny of delegated legislation. All members are agreed that such a scrutiny mechanism is urgently needed and necessary, more particularly taking into account the scope and extent of delegated legislation provided for in legislation passed by this House.
This process of drawing up Rules, as I said, began in 2002. We have still not approved them, notwithstanding the fact that the Joint Rules Committee approved the Rules twice in the Third Parliament and once again in the Fourth Parliament. Indeed, these interim Rules have been placed on the Order Paper a number of times this year, but have never been moved or adopted by this House. If you look at today's Order Paper, they are there!
Sometimes I think that on real issues of importance, this Parliament is a parliament in paralysis. Can the DA support Parliament's budget? The answer must be no, not until Parliament gets its own House in order, with appropriate mechanisms introduced to make it transparent, and enable proper oversight and accountability of its own institution. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Deputy Speaker, hon Deputy President Motlanthe - I see he has left - Ministers, House Chairpersons, comrades, colleagues and guests, Parliament's role and ultimate objective is to represent the people of South Africa and to ensure government by the people under the Constitution. Speakers before me have outlined the strategic objectives and Parliament's vision. I shall speak primarily on Parliament's involvement and engagements in international relations.
Hon members, R1,675 billion has been appropriated for the financial year 2011-12. A quick breakdown reveals the following: the programme on administration receives 21%, legislation and oversight receives 17%, members' facilities receives 13%, associated services receives 17%, members' remuneration receives 25%, and public and international participation receives 0,07%.
These facts indicate that Parliament needs to increase the facilitation of public involvement, and with the Parliament of South Africa finding itself operating in an evolving international relations environment, there is a need to adapt to or engage vigorously in developments in an age when the line between the domestic and the international is becoming blurred and when there is a globalisation of problems.
It is no longer conceivable that Parliament can focus only on national policy and leave it to government to take decisions with wider implications. To do so would amount to relinquishing their role as the people's representative and doing no more than ratifying decisions while excluding themselves from the real problems.
Parliament should take into consideration an increasing responsibility and reliance placed on South Africa internationally and actively oversee how government follows through on and ensures the implementation of its international commitments and obligations.
Parliament's initiative to define its role in the sphere of international affairs therefore needs to take cognisance of global developments and at the same time ensure that it does not encroach upon the executive responsibilities of the Ministry and Department of International Relations and Co-operation. The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Co- operation is departmentally aligned and exercises oversight over national policy and processes legislation. Parliament, however, defines its international relations policy informed by our national foreign policy.
Parliamentary international relations is the continuation of a political process and dialogue among legislatures, brought about by significant change in the world. At different international meetings Members of Parliament and presiding officers have the opportunity to exchange views on a range of international challenges. It is precisely these forums that have forced national parliaments to reconsider their role in international affairs. In the nature of global issues each country is affected sooner or later by the problems of other countries, and parliamentarians have a duty to engage with phenomena and policies that impact on the future and welfare of society as a whole.
So what are the core objectives of Parliament's international relations? As agreed by the Joint Rules Committee on 3 November 2006, these core objectives are the following: prioritising Africa; advancing multilateralism; establishing bilateral relations for strategic reasons; facilitating public participation and education; promoting and protecting human rights; reinforcing democratic values and good governance; advocating gender justice; upholding international law and justice; strengthening south-to-south co-operation; initiating and strengthening dialogue between the north and the south; and, last but not least, encouraging contact with other parliaments. All these objectives are aligned with the foreign policy of our country.
The Parliamentary Group on International Relations will concern itself with Parliament's interaction with other parliamentarians and parliamentary bodies. The Parliamentary Group on International Relations, PGIR, was established on 18 June 2009 to do the following: firstly, to implement the international relations policy agreed on by the Joint Rules Committee, by providing policy and strategic direction on Parliament's international engagements; secondly, to co-ordinate Parliament's international engagements, including its relations with other parliaments and membership of, and participation in, international parliamentary organisations; thirdly, to receive reports from parliamentary delegations and submit proposals for their tabling, referral and scheduling for debate to the presiding officers or other relevant parliamentary structures; and fourthly, to meet annually with members appointed by the House to serve on international parliamentary bodies and members of all substructures of the