Rules and roles in parliament: Work in Seventh Administration underway despite cabinet stall

President Cyril Ramaphosa may be struggling to get his cabinet jigsaw together but the parliamentary puzzle is almost complete.

The cabinet may be the most senior level of executive authority in government, but several tiers below operate efficiently in the background.

Parliament comprises two houses, the National Assembly (NA) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

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Each house will have its own sets of rules which determine the particulars around selecting whips, the speaking time for debates, and number of members per committee.

Members of Parliament (MP) sat on 26 June to establish the rules of the NA, which include the setting up of portfolios and committees

Roles within parliament

The whips are administrative leaders responsible for discipline, attendance, and participation in parliamentary sessions.

Speaking times are proportional to overall party representation and are vital for maintaining a smooth flow of debate and discussion in the Houses.

Committees and sub-committees are the administrative backbone of parliament and are responsible for scrutinising the work of government.  

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The first order of debate on Wednesday was a proposal to increase the size of the committees from 11 to 15 members each.

The proposed party allocation was five for the ANC, three for the DA, two for the MK Party and one for the EFF each. The remaining four slots would be shared among the new parties.

The proposal was generally agreed upon, but could only be confirmed once President Ramaphosa makes his cabinet announcement.

Induction programme MPs

From 2 to 5 July, Members of Parliament (MP) with go through an orientation programme for their new roles.

“The seventh parliamentary administration is ready to take the reins and ensure that Parliament fulfils its constitutional mandate,” stated Parliament via press release.

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Before the orientation week, the last week of June has several meetings and activities scheduled.

Following Wednesday’s rules meeting, Thursday sees the election of several office bearers, including the House Chairperson for Committees and NCOP Permanent Delegates (MPs) to the Pan-African Parliament.

Friday morning sees the National Assembly hold a programming meeting, which considers Bills and committee reports.

Once President Ramaphosa’s cabinet is selected, his Opening of Parliament Address will signal the official opening of the Seventh Parliament.