Chairperson, this proposal presented to the committee by the hon Greyling seeks to regulate the private funding of political parties. We had to consult with stakeholders in this. It seems my focus may have been distracted by the declarations! [Laughter.]
When dealing with proposals such as this, we always try by all means to arrive at a consensus. To date, as a result of these efforts, the work of the committee has been running smoothly. Of course it is disturbing and worrying when allegations are raised that the committee is not doing its work in accordance with the requirements. This may not necessarily be the correct picture, but it is a worry.
While dealing with this particular piece of legislation proposed by the hon Greyling, we went out and met with the Presidency, the ethics committee and portfolio committees responsible for the work that was before us. As I said earlier when I presented the other report, we also looked at the principles and guidelines that had been agreed upon by all of us in this House to see if this proposal had any elements of unconstitutionality. We went even further and got legal advice from Parliament. [Interjections.]
I'm not sure whether Parliament's legal advisers are weaker than those you may provide, but I thought we were given legal advice. [Interjections.] No, no, let's respect the institution. It is led by people. We must give them that ... [Interjections.] Come again?