Round Table discussion
Parliament
17 October 2007
1.
We need to revisit the values of the Constitution that
we negotiated during the period of 1990 to 1996, amongst others the following:
·
Free Speech
·
Freedom of religion
·
Fair and just state administration
·
The right to differ
·
Transparency in public life
·
Free media
·
Protection against the misuse of power
·
Protection of minority rights
·
Equality before the law
·
Protection of democracy
·
We should ensure that our democracy
remains vibrant and we should not, at all costs, move away from these values.
2.
Further, we need to do everything in our power to
preserve the Mandela legacy of transparency and a willingness to engage with
those who hold an opinion different to our own.
3.
Furthermore, we need to repeatedly revisit our
understanding of how society works, and how, allowing each representative of
society to voice his or her opinion, strengthens and deepens democracy.
4.
In this debate, to ensure a vigorous and ongoing
public debate, government attempts to create its’ own checks and balances.
5.
It attempts to do so through the attempt to create
Chinese walls between the executive, the legislative assembly and judiciary.
6.
In this regarding, the role of Parliament as the
legislative voice of the people is important in that it must actively seek out
it’s own distinctive role in it’s relationship with government [the executive].
7.
It’s oversight role over government is an absolutely
crucial role.
During our discussion I will argue
that there are no adequate mechanisms for the community input into the process
of oversight.
Further, I will raise the question,
how does a member of Parliament balance a so called party-line/mandate on the
one hand and a broader public interest on the other hand? I would like us to discuss this.
8.
If it does not seek to find a way of exercising that
role with vigor and independence, the role of Parliament will become one of
partner, and often, junior partner, to that of the executive.
9.
This challenge is off course, made somewhat complex by
the fact that the current political dynamics places the ANC in substantial
control of both the government as well as the legislature.
10.
Service delivery can only be accelerated when
Parliament, through it’s standing committees and other structures, call to
account those who are tasked with making true the mandates, undertakings and
promises of the governing party.
11.
In this regard the role of Opposition parties should
be respected.
12.
Whilst it is in the nature of politics that political
parties will not always act as good neighbors do, it is important that such an
aggressive environment should be underscored by an understanding of the nature
of political debate.
13.
It is the role of opposition parties to question the
motives, actions and programs of the governing party.
14.
Any attempt at deepening the democracy should be
supported by actions that illustrates that we understand that the irritation of
opposition politics is a necessary irritation, and that it, in fact, adds
substantial value to the service delivery processes.
15.
We should never forget that, especially in a new
democracy such as ours, we are building a nation, and those who differ from us
politically, are just as committed and patriotic as we are.
16.
So, inside government, our forefathers, both here and
internationally, have created checks and balances through the different levels
and structures of government.
17.
In addition, we have created this institution, where
we can vigorously debate the direction into which we can take our country.
18.
There are, however, very specific interests outside of
government and it’s structures who are important and active participants in the
debate regarding democracy.
19.
One such an interest group is organized business,
represented in our country by umbrella organizations such as CHAMSA and BUSA,
and other organizations such as AHI, SACOB, FABCOS and NAFCOC.
Other important and relevant
stakeholders in this regard will be the trade union movement, the NGO’s and the
broader community in all their formations, both urban and rural.
20.
They have a crucial role to play in ensuring that
government hears a non-political view on it’s economic and social policies.
21.
This government has created the necessary forums and
relationships to ensure that they receive inputs from organized business and
other role players and stakeholders referred to above at regular intervals and
on important matters.
22.
It is, however, in the field of specific and
specialized interests that the role of NGO’s is of paramount importance.
23.
In most societies, NGO’s cater for the specific,
rather than the general, and depending on the depth of the democracy, verbalize
their views in a very public fashion.
24.
Such expressions of opinion can be very personal, very
painful, and very direct.
25.
In
26.
No political party treasures the idea or practice of
being repudiated in public.
27.
If, however, we attempt to silence those voices that
differ from us, or diminish the roles of the representatives of society, we run
the risk of tampering with the very ideals that we fought and died for, and for
which our Constitution stand as a monument.
28.
It is our duty to differ from each other in a direct
and vigorous fashion.
29.
We should, however, be careful and circumspect in the
way that we conduct ourselves, especially in ensuring that we debate the
message, and not the messenger, or the right of the messenger to disagree with
us.
30.
The NGO’s in our country have a deeply important role
to play in deepening our democracy and to interrogate government on the policy
and details of it’s service delivery programs.
31.
It provides one of those extra-parliamentary pillars
of democracy which can easily be diminished at our peril.
32.
The test of leadership is not always that you win the
battle, but also, and in my view, more importantly, how you manage and
incorporate the views of well-meaning “adversaries” into improving democracy
and the lives of all people.
33.
I am, therefore, an advocate for strong and decisive
government.
34.
I am also an advocate of healthy and lively debate.
35.
I am, however, an advocate of a model that gives us
strong and substantial checks and balances to ensure that we hear, and take
seriously each and every voice in our society, and continue to do so into the
future.
36.
As much as governing is about alliances, it is about
partnerships. In an alliance, you might find that there are differences of nuance
and of detail. There is, however, always the silent agreement that all possible
efforts should me made to enable the centre to hold. If the center does not
hold, alliances may fracture, and that may have short or long term political
consequences.
37. As much as such differences in an
alliance stimulates a vibrant democracy, it is also informed by the parties
with which the government is in partnership. I use the word partnership
liberally, because a government must always willingly or reluctantly be in
partnership with it’s voters, special interest groups, NGO’s, organized
business and a variety of other groups.
38. Government is given a mandate at an
election. That, however, does not mean that it is a given a unconditional
mandate to do whatever it wants to. The process of consultation with alliance
structures and community partners is the lifeblood of the age-old principle of
government in consultation.
39. Whilst a government must govern, and do
so strongly, it must do all it can strengthen it’s partnerships in the process.
If it loses touch specifically with it’s community partners, it runs the risk
of isolating itself and being viewed as aloof.
40. This complex process is often cumbersome
and time-consuming, but a vital necessity for us to ensure that we build our
young democracy into a vibrant, energetic one that encourages constructive and
vigorous debate.
Mathews
Phosa