ActionSA welcomes establishment of Parliamentary Oversight Committee on the bloated Presidency
1 November 2024
ActionSA welcomes the establishment of an Oversight Committee on the Presidency, which in recent years has bloated into a 'Super Presidency,' absorbing an ever-increasing number of state functions under its command without any form of dedicated Parliamentary oversight until now.
During last night’s Rules Committee meeting, ActionSA cast the decisive vote to establish a dedicated Oversight Committee for the Presidency, a crucial step towards reinforcing the fundamental constitutional principles of accountability and transparency.
ActionSA has long argued that the unchecked expansion of powers within the Presidency undermines the very mandate of Parliament, as it allows the President to run a near-separate branch of government that operates largely beyond Parliamentary oversight.
Having first introduced the proposal in 2009 as the then Leader of the Opposition, ActionSA’s Parliamentary Leader believes that the establishment of the Oversight Committee represents a long overdue step forward in the fight for accountability and effective oversight in safeguarding democratic and transparent governance.
Importantly, ActionSA believes that the 2024 elections represented voters demands for change, and yesterday’s majority decision by Parliament’s Rules Committee marks a consequential victory for democracy. As demonstrated last night, political parties across the divide, apart from the ANC and IFP, recognised the importance of strengthening oversight.
ActionSA has demonstrated our continued crucial role as a constructive opposition, where our voting record and level of engagement on critical issues as a Caucus involve scrutinising every proposal on its merits rather than based on who proposed it. Principally, we believe this approach marks a break from the complacent form of opposition politics that has featured in Parliament for far too long.
ActionSA affirms our commitment to hold the government accountable, not simply by pointing out its failures and opposing for the sake of opposition, but also by serving as a voice of reason through sound proposals and solutions that ensure we fight for South Africans who deserve better.
Issued by Athol Trollip, Parliamentary Leader, ActionSA, 1 November 2024
