Taking the Legislature to the People of Mpumalanga aims to bring change
The provincial legislature speaker, Makhosazana Masilela, said the aim of the initiative was for legislature to exercise its constitutional obligation to oversee government programmes and address the issues affecting people who have not yet received optimal service delivery.
The Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature, under the stewardship of Speaker Makhosazana Masilela, together with members of the provincial legislature, hosted a week-long programme, Taking the Legislature to the People.
It was held in Thembisile Hani Local Municipality and Nkangala District Municipality. The programme started on March 27 and ended March 31.
Section 118 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa provides for legislatures and the national parliament to facilitate public involvement in legislative and other processes of their committees. It also provides for legislatures to conduct its businesses in an open manner and to hold sittings, and those of committees, in public.
ALSO READ: Emoyeni Church cooks for 50 people every Sunday
“The aim of this initiative is to ensure that all citizens are able to interact directly with their elected representatives in the provincial legislature, as well as to expose citizens to the various processes of the legislature.
“Through the initiative the legislature exercises its constitutional obligation to oversee government programmes. This is embarked on to fulfil the legislature’s desire to address the issues affecting people on the ground who have not yet achieved optimal service delivery levels. The purpose is to ensure that it educates and encourages public participation in all its programmes, thereby deepening democracy,” said Masilela.
The event saw members of the provincial government undertaking oversight visits to check on progress made by government-funded projects within the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality.
“Some of the predominant issues raised during the oversight visits, public hearings and stakeholder engagement sessions included poor road infrastructure, lack of isiNdebele language teaching in some schools, lack of financial support for agricultural projects, stock theft that is not reported due to negligence, unbranded livestock, land claims not properly conducted, non-issuing of lease contracts to farmers, lack of security and electricity on farms, mechanisation and corrupt law enforcement officers working with stock theft criminals.
ALSO READ: PHOTOS: Mpumalanga Easter Road Safety campaign launched
“There were issues raised by the elderly, including non-conducive pension pay points exposing them to bad weather conditions and a risk of being robbed. Young people added their voice by demanding that they be included in business opportunities and appealed to government to come up with measures to address high youth unemployment and building of recreational facilities, as well as reviewal of the learnerships and skills development programmes.
“The issues were raised in great detail during the public hearing and members of the executive council in their different portfolios, and the executive mayors from the district and local municipalities, responded with diligence and promised to address the issues of the community of Thembisile Hani.”
The programme was concluded with an address by Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, who spoke in depth about what the government departments have to do in dealing with service delivery issues and how they are planning to deal with issues raised by the community of Thembisile Hani Local Municipality.
