Imagine a South African Parliament where MPs actively engage with the public and civil society to improve public policy and hold the corrupt and inept accountable. This is exactly why OUTA accepted an invitation to take part in the induction of new MPs. 

The first week of July was a very busy one for OUTA’s Parliamentary team. The International Day of Parliamentarism, established by the United Nations, was celebrated on 1 July. For the OUTA team, this day emphasises civil society's significant role in strengthening parliamentary oversight and ensuring government accountability. 

This year’s celebrations happened to coincide with the official kick-off to the activities of the 7th Parliament, and when asked to participate in an induction programme for new MPs, OUTA’s Parliamentary team did not hesitate.  The induction programme was scheduled to include a session for MPs to engage with civil society organisations and hear our input on the public’s expectations of elected representatives.

Civil society organisations, including OUTA, believe that Parliament must rebuild public trust through institutional culture change, and ensure that parliamentarians are responsive and accountable. By fostering a strong partnership between civil society and Parliament, South Africa can enhance its democratic processes and ensure more accountable and responsive governance.

We strongly believe that civil society can assist Parliament by scrutinising its actions, exposing corruption, offering specialised knowledge and research, and ensuring representation of marginalised communities. We also have a role to play in encouraging public participation, facilitating dialogue and restoring public trust. In addition, civil society can assist with resources and by providing training and technical assistance to enhance parliamentary effectiveness.

Although the session with MPs was moved to a later date (due to the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed ministers), OUTA’s team was present and ready to engage with MPs at our stall. Both Dr Rachel Fischer, OUTA’s Parliamentary Engagement and Research Manager, and colleague Ogone Motlogeloa both reported back on engaging conversations with various MPs from all political parties.

“We look forward to building a 7th Parliament that embraces the principles of transparency and accountability,” Dr Fischer said. 

On 1 July, OUTA held a webinar reviewing the 6th Parliament’s legacy. Watch it here.

The Parliamentary Monitoring Group’s 6th Parliament Review is here.

More information on OUTA’s work on parliamentary oversight is here.