Chair, living up to people's expectations - what a wonderful thought! Of course it begs the question: What do we expect from Parliament and its members? Criticising and belittling parliamentarians has become something of a national sport, just as it is in most parts of the world. As a result, the work of Parliament and its members is underappreciated.
Politics and the business of Parliament affect every aspect of our everyday lives and while many South Africans are to some degree aware that Parliament impacts on their lives and engage, a significant number of people aren't and don't. It could be that people feel disconnected from Parliament and their representatives - an indication, of course, that we are not yet the people's Parliament that we aspire to be.
The question is not only what should we be doing, but how could we do what we do more effectively? A close relationship with constituencies is critical if we are to have a hope of living up to people's expectations. People see Members of Parliament, as less accountable to constituents and more accountable to their party, with party positions taking precedence over constituency needs. However, even in the United Kingdom, UK, where MPs are directly accountable to their constituencies, they still have to toe the party line or face the consequences. So, it's a fallacy to think otherwise.
Committees provide public access to the political process and written and oral questions, which are useful in holding the executive accountable, also ensure constituents' concerns reach the ears of Ministers. Living up to people's expectations here can depend on whether or not the executive takes MPs questions seriously. Lastly, snap debates on topics of current public concern could and should be better used.
Many of the perceptions of Parliament and the work of members are created by the media, both in terms of what they do and don't cover and the way they do it. But campaigning MPs are themselves responsible for creating unreasonable expectations within communities and individuals. Living up to these expectations between elections presents no small challenge for all MPs and not just for those who make the unrealistic promises. Thank you.