Pretoria - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the level and quality of engagement between the executive and Parliament during the 2nd Term of Parliament between April and June 2017.
During the second term of 2017, 31 Executive Bills were placed before Portfolio Committees in the National Assembly, including the Expropriation Bill, the Medical Innovation Bill, the Broadcasting Amendment Bill and the Traditional Courts Bill.
In addition, the National Youth Development Agency Bill was passed on the eve of Youth Month, observed in June 2017, and out of recognition of the importance of creating opportunities that will empower South Africa’s young people.
Deputy President Ramaphosa, as a leader of business on Sunday, said the scale and intensity of interaction between Parliament and the executive bodes well for the country’s democracy.
“The collaboration between the Executive, political parties and Parliament as a whole demonstrates that our democracy is maturing, and that various stakeholders can work together harmoniously without compromising their integrity or respective mandates. All of us are putting the country first.”
He added that it also bodes well too for public confidence in government and the legislature, as “South Africans can be assured that public resources are well accounted for; that mismanagement of these resources is prevented or addressed, and that public representatives are vigilant in their advancement of the best interests of citizens”.
Furthermore, the second term saw Ministers and officials regularly interacting with committees to ensure a streamlined legislative process and to enable legislators’ scrutiny of executive actions.
Various members of the Executive – including the Ministers of Public Enterprises, Social Development and Finance – gave account to committees on matters of national interest.
The President, Deputy President, Ministers and Deputy Ministers presented themselves to the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces to answer Questions for Oral Reply.
Parliament also successfully debated issues of importance such as, the increase in farm murders and farm attacks in South Africa; the twentieth anniversary of the Constitution and Human Rights Day; the scourge of violence against women and children; advancing youth economic empowerment.
Parliament goes on recess on Friday, and MPs will return to work in their constituencies. It sits again on July 31. - SAnews.gov.za
