Engagement with South Africa’s 7th Parliament: the country’s first grand coalition will result in new challenges and opportunities for oversight and lawmaking. Will the GNU result in more cooperation in oversight and law making? Will oversight by the opposition be weakened? What do the workings of the previous six parliaments teach us for how Parliament can work more effectively for South Africa?
On the 26th August, CASAC and PARI hosted a workshop in Cape Town to consider how to strengthen Parliament. The workshop was attended by office bearers in Parliament, including the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza, parliamentary staff, and civil society organisations working with and on our legislature. The workshop saw active engagement and debate on issues ranging from how Parliament might strengthen its role in the budget process (appropriations), through what makes for an effective portfolio committees for oversight, to how to improve law making.
PARI’s report on the workings of oversight in Parliament, commissioned by OUTA last year, can be found here. https://pari.org.za/report-state-of-parliament-and-its-mps-identifying-challenges-to-oversight-and-proposing-solutions/
