Hon House Chairperson, your Excellencies President Zuma and Deputy President Motlanthe, esteemed hon Members of Parliament, ladies and gentlemen, comrades and friends, section 44(4) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa states as follows:
When exercising its legislative authority, Parliament is bound only by the Constitution, and must act in accordance with, and within the limits of the Constitution.
It is worth recalling that the concept of democratic governance, which confers legitimacy, has emerged as an objective principle under public international law, and that the subjective fundamental right for democratic governance has its source in the right of human dignity.
The concept of democratic governance, therefore, means that all acts of any public authority should be legitimised by a democratic process.
Parliament is thus founded on the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. As the freely elected representatives of the people of South Africa, our duty as Members of Parliament is, first and foremost, to represent and act as a voice of the people in fulfilling our constitutional functions of passing legally sound laws and overseeing executive action.
Some of the fundamental questions that have remained current from the first, second and third democratic Parliaments to the fourth democratic Parliament are: one, how Parliament can be made more effective as an institution acting in the interests of all South Africans, irrespective of race, class or creed; two, how Parliament can be made to empower ordinary citizens to participate more in portfolio committee public hearings and have a greater say over the laws that they are expected to abide by; and three, how Parliament can more effectively scrutinise executive action.
Another question we have to answer as Parliament is, how do we as public representatives ensure that Parliament truly becomes an organ of people's power in word and deed? And, furthermore, how do we as a Parliament of renewed promise ensure that the government delivers on the ten priority areas which the President highlighted, without us getting lost in the detour of empty political rhetoric?
Common sense dictates that in order to achieve progress, portfolio committees, Ministries and departments will have to develop a critical, but benign constructive relationship that has the common objective and aim of optimising service delivery to ensure a better life for all South Africans. The consequences of non-delivery are just too dire in the current recession when greater numbers of workers and self-employed people are losing their jobs daily.
For Parliament to become a true organ of people's power it will have to be, one, more responsive to the needs of South Africans and be driven by the ideal of facilitating the realisation of a better quality of life for all South Africans; two, play an active part in the transformation of society for the common good; three, continue to nurture democratic values; four, promote social justice and fundamental human rights; five, be more accessible to the people; six, find new ways of involving citizens more in its processes; seven, act as a voice of the people; eight, be a vibrant national forum for the consideration of all issues; nine, act in co- operation with other spheres of government; ten, pass legally sound laws; eleven, be a more effective and efficient institution; twelve, continue building a united, democratic nonracial South Africa; and thirteen, continue to work with international bodies as guided by South Africa's foreign policy.
In conclusion, in order to gain a higher degree of democratic and social legitimacy as a people's parliament, Parliament should keep its finger on the pulse of society.
As the Freedom Charter states, "The people shall govern!" I thank you. [Applause.]