‘Constituency work’ just paid time off, cash cow for politicians

Despite millions in taxpayers’ money being spent on MPs “doing constituency work” during the parliamentary recess, the system meant to bring politicians closer to the people has failed, according to experts.

While in countries like the UK, MPs devote their time to constituencies which elected them, listening to community concerns before they blow up into a crisis, local politicians have ironically continued to react after the fact.

This has become apparent through messages of condolences after the Enyobeni Tavern deaths and the tragic fall into a Soweto manhole of six-year-old Khayalethu Magadla.

Parliament’s annual performance plan for 2021-22 recorded that R510.1 million was budgeted to political parties, with the annual report for 2019-20, showing a transfer of R470.7 million, including a R338.4 million “constituency allowance”.

While MPs were currently on a constituency period until August, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse chief executive Wayne Duvenage, University of South Africa political science professor Dirk Kotze and University of Pretoria politics lecturer Roland Henwood conceded that the programme did not work.

Said Duvenage: “We don’t believe the political party constituency office programme is working – unable to establish where these offices are located. There is also no way of establishing if MPs are available for engagements with the public at these ‘offices’.

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“There is also little evidence of financial statements and accountability for the use of the parliamentary allocations to political parties – supposed to be used for constituency office management and administration by political parties.

“Without a doubt, if MPs did return to constituency offices around the country and were available for meaningful engagement with the public, many localised issues could be raised with them, which they could take back to parliament for discussion, on matters relating to accountability at provincial and local government levels.”

Parliament, said Duvenage, did “nothing to hold MPs to account for constituency work”.

“There is no way of proving that MPs are using this time constructively or to avail themselves to the public at these so-called constituency offices.

“Quite frankly, this time off for constituency work is a farce and most MPs treat this as a holiday or official paid time off. It should be scrapped, unless the system is improved for MPs and parliament to provide a public register of which constituency offices, they will be manning every day,” said Duvenage.

Kotze agreed: “Most MPs regard the constituency period as free time to do what they want. The fact that so much time is allocated to this in the parliamentary schedule, does not justify the manner in which they approach it.

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“Unfortunately, the budget is abused because constituency offices become offices of political parties. It becomes a party-political point of contact, instead of a constituency one.

“Without generalising, it seldom happens during constituency week, that you will find MPs in their constituency offices on the Monday, set for the start of that work.”

Kotze said the move to amend the Electoral Act, allowing independent candidates to contest elections, was “a confirmation that the constituency work system is not working”.

Henwood said few citizens knew who their public representatives were and there was “no access to MPs”. “Parliament can do much more to hold MPs to account, though this is difficult because MPs account to themselves.

“Another challenge is that this is a party-political responsibility – each party having its own approach and requirements. The party leadership has a far greater responsibility and role to play, with problems exacerbated by the very elitist nature of our politics,” said Henwood.

– brians@citizen.co.za