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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Audit of the DA’s 2006 national parliamentary performance
The attached document sets out, in detail, how the Democratic Alliance has performed in Parliament and demonstrates that, without any doubt, the DA remains the primary driving force behind oversight and accountability in both the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.
The DA has held the government to account, it has ensured transparency and openness and, where appropriate, it has proposed alternatives - both in the form of legislation and policy proposals - all of which aim to strengthen our democracy and improve South Africa’s system of government.
Key findings in the report include the following (The statistics are inclusive of all parties – including the ANC):
· Parliamentary Questions – Written: The DA was responsible for 1495 (or 83%) of the 1798 questions submitted in 2006. This represents an average of 32 questions per DA MP, double that of the next opposition party.
· Parliamentary Questions – Oral: The DA was responsible for 146 (or 39%) of the 379 oral questions submitted in the National Assembly.
· In the Peace and Security Cluster, the DA was responsible for 35 (or 36%) of the 98 questions submitted in the National Assembly.
· In the Social Services and Governance Cluster, the DA was responsible for 61 (or 41%) of the 150 questions submitted in National Assembly.
· In the Economics Cluster, the DA was responsible for 39 (or 42%) of the 93 questions submitted in the National Assembly.
· Motions: The DA introduced 25 (or 56%) of the 45 motions in the National Assembly and 11 out of the 35 introduced in the National Council of Provinces.
· Private Members’ Legislative Proposals: The DA introduced six Private Members’ Bills in 2006, out of a total of seven.
· Members’ Statements: There were 23 sitting days on which Member’s statements could be made, in 2006. Members’ Statements are granted proportionate to a party’s size. The DA used every one of its slots in 2006 and delivered approximately 69 statements in the National Assembly.
· Budget Votes: The DA supported 17 budgets and opposed 17 (seven with a division) in 2006. It made 17 declarations. Eight out of the 15 opposition parties supported all 34 ANC budget votes. Two others supported 33 out of 34.
· Policy Documents: The DA produced some 40 new policy and discussion documents in 2006, including a review of the criminal justice system, a series of policies on helping small business, an overview of the state of public education and an alternative budget.
· Press Statements: Up until the end of November the DA had distributed to the media some 1032 press statements including 90 on crime, 73 on health, 47 on welfare and 98 on financial issues.
· The Leader: The Leader held 74 public events, on the ground, in different communities in 2006. He released 84 press statements, made 62 speeches both inside and outside parliament and released 46 weekly newsletters to the party, the public and the media.
It is not just quantitatively that the DA out performs other parties inside and outside parliament, but qualitatively: Our policies are carefully researched and thought through, our statements are substantive and newsworthy and the party often breaks new stories; the Leader’s weekly newsletter is regarded as insightful and well written and our speeches – both inside and outside parliament – are well researched, and present cogent and helpful analysis.
The ANC’s attitude towards parliament makes it extremely difficult to hold Government to account. The ruling party has tried its best to weaken the parliamentary mechanisms of oversight and undermine the legislature’s ability to hold the executive to account.
Certainly, the ANC does not use those mechanisms that are available to all parties in both Houses to hold the executive to account. Questions, motions and members’ statements are used to promote the ruling party, not to probe policy or practice and, while options such as private members’ bills are somewhat redundant for ruling party members, strict party discipline means that individual ANC members are essentially prevented from proposing alternatives.
Thus the DA’s performance needs to be assessed against the backdrop of a ruling party that is largely hostile towards oversight and transparency.
But the ruling party’s attitude towards parliament is not the only problem. The DA’s audit reveals that other opposition parties are failing in their duty to provide oversight and policy alternatives. The problem is exacerbated by floor crossing, which created a number of new parties last year, almost all of which have failed to contribute anything to parliament.
Seen in this light, it becomes clear that, were the DA removed from the equation there would be almost no opposition in parliament: oversight of the executive would be fundamentally compromised and transparency and accountability severely undermined.
Outside of parliament the situation does not differ drastically. Although it is not possible accurately to analyse the policy proposals put forward outside parliament by other opposition parties, in broad terms, it is accurate to say that the DA remains the only party capable of producing policy alternatives, sustaining a constant presence in the media and on the ground in communities.
The facts prove the DA’s view that it is the only alternative to the ANC.
This being so, it is vital that the DA continues to fulfill its role of holding the Government to account and ensuring that the executive conducts its business in a transparent and responsible manner.
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