The International Day of Parliamentarism, also known as World Parliament Day, is celebrated every year on 30 June. It was established in 2018 through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution and is led by the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

This year’s celebration coincides with the establishment of the seventh Parliament and the commemoration of 30 years of democracy in South Africa. On this day, it is important to reflect on civil society's role in strengthening parliamentary oversight, transparency and accountability.

Despite its high activity levels, Parliament’s performance is generally weak, reactive and non-responsive.  This gap in effective oversight has been evident in the handling of critical issues, including state capture and various corruption scandals. Concerns about corruption, the abuse of power, and the unethical behaviour by MPs have led to a decline in public trust.

Civil society can help Parliament in several ways:

• Holding Parliament accountable: Civil society organisations can scrutinise Parliament's actions, expose corruption, and advocate for transparency.
• Providing expertise: Civil society organizations can offer specialised knowledge and research to inform parliamentary decisions.
• Amplifying marginalised voices: Civil society can ensure that the concerns and needs of marginalised communities are represented in Parliament.
• Promoting civic engagement: Civil society can encourage public participation in parliamentary processes, increasing citizen engagement and awareness.
• Supporting parliamentary oversight: Civil society can assist Parliament in holding the executive branch accountable through oversight and investigations.
• Fostering collaboration: Civil society can facilitate dialogue and collaboration between Parliament, government, and other stakeholders.
• Building public trust: Civil society can help restore public trust in Parliament by promoting transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct.
• Providing resources: Civil society organisations can offer resources, such as research, data, and expertise, to support parliamentary work.
• Encouraging participatory democracy: Civil society can promote participatory democracy by supporting public consultations, citizen engagement, and inclusive decision-making processes.
• Supporting parliamentary capacity building: Civil society can provide training, capacity building, and technical assistance to enhance parliamentary effectiveness.

Over many years, OUTA, PMG and many other civil society organisations have actively monitored and supported the broader legislative sector. We have done this in a constructive, collaborative and transparent manner.  This has yielded positive results. The upcoming Orientation and Induction programme for Members of the 7th Parliament, scheduled for 2 to 5 July 2024, includes an unprecedented session for engagement with civil society organisations (CSOs). This initiative marks a significant step forward, as CSOs will contribute to the MP induction Programme for the first time, exploring public expectations from their elected representatives.

Seventh Parliament: The Way Forward

The 29 May 2024 elections provide an opportunity to revitalise Parliament. Public trust in the legislature must be rebuilt through institutional culture change, rejecting “business as usual,” and ensuring that representatives are responsive and accountable. We are positive that the Government of National Unity (GNU) will live up to its potential by realising a multi-party and multi-stakeholder-driven Parliament. Broadly speaking, there is goodwill that lawmakers can redirect their energy into debating and passing laws that serve the greater good.

Parliament has developed a number of commitments, initiatives, reforms and rules to strengthen citizen participation and oversight. If implemented, these could be game changers, leading to a stronger legislature and, ultimately, better development outcomes.

Conclusion

By fostering a strong partnership between civil society and Parliament, South Africa can enhance its democratic processes and ensure more accountable and responsive governance.  We are committed to playing our part in building democracy through active citizen participation and robust parliamentary oversight.

For more on PMG’s 6^th Parliamentary Review, visit here: https://pmg.org.za/6th-parliament-review

For more on OUTA’s Parliamentary Oversight, visit here: https://www.outa.co.za/projects/government-policy/parliament

In 2023, OUTA collaborated with the Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG) and OpenUp to develop a Parliamentary Oversight Dashboard, a project co-funded by the European Union's Enhancing Accountability Programme. The collaboration involves identifying necessary information for the dashboard, analysing Parliamentary legacy reports, partnering with other civil society organisations and creating materials for public use. Each partner brings essential expertise to contribute to the project's success.

Join our webinar on Monday, 1 July 2024…