An assessment of public participation in the law-making and other activities of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.ENGLISH SUMMARY : Public participation in democratic processes is essential in promoting democracy and is a critical ingredient for promoting good governance and accountability. Since the democratic elections in 1994, it has become possible for the people of South Africa across all races to have their voices heard in the processes and activities of Parliament. The transition to democracy created a government that was democratically elected and legitimate in the eyes of the majority of citizens, and also enabled a democratically elected Parliament that represents the people. The strong focus on human rights and democratic principles found in the Constitution underpinned the new era of the South African Parliament post 1994. The Constitution states that the National Assembly is elected to represent the people and to ensure government by the people under the Constitution. In this respect, Parliament is mandated by the Constitution to facilitate public participation in its democratic processes to ensure that the people of South Africa are consulted in an organised fashion, on specific issues that affect their daily lives. As a platform for the consideration of public issues, Parliament has introduced a number of strategies and mechanisms to facilitate public participation in its processes. Notwithstanding the opportunities created by Parliament to encourage public involvement in its processes, previous research studies have concluded that there were still gaps or areas of weakness in the manner in which Parliament facilitates public participation. This study assesses the strategies that are being utilised by Parliament to facilitate public participation in its activities to determine whether such strategies contribute to meaningful participation that enhances the outcome of the decision-making processes. To collect data, two research techniques were utilised in this study, namely interviews and document analysis. This study found that Parliament was committed to encouraging public involvement in its activities, such that public participation has been adopted as a strategic priority of the institution. However, challenges that hinder the ability of the institution to facilitate meaningful public participation that enhances the outcome of the decision-making processes are present. Based on the findings, the study presents a number of recommendations that the institution should consider going forward with a view to implementing the best practices in public participation.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Publieke deelname aan demokratiese prosesse is noodsaaklik vir die bevordering van demokrasie en ook 'n kritieke bestanddeel vir die bevordering van goeie bestuur en aanspreeklikheid. Sedert die demokratiese verkiesing in 1994 het dit vir die inwoners van Suid-Afrika uit alle rasse moontlik geword om hul stem in die prosesse en aktiwiteite van die Parlement te laat hoor. Die oorgang na demokrasie het 'n regering tot stand gebring wat demokraties verkies en wettig in die oë van die meerderheid burgers is, en het ook 'n demokraties verkose parlement wat die volk verteenwoordig, moontlik gemaak. Die sterk fokus op menseregte en demokratiese beginsels wat in die Grondwet gevind is, was die grondslag vir die nuwe era van die Suid-Afrikaanse Parlement ná 1994. Die Grondwet bepaal dat die Nasionale Vergadering verkies word om die volk te verteenwoordig en om regering deur die mense onder die Grondwet te verseker. In hierdie opsig word die Parlement deur die Grondwet verplig om openbare deelname aan sy demokratiese prosesse te vergemaklik om te verseker dat die inwoners van Suid-Afrika georganiseerd geraadpleeg word oor spesifieke kwessies wat hul daaglikse lewe raak. As 'n platform vir die oorweging van openbare kwessies het die parlement 'n aantal strategieë en meganismes ingestel om die deelname van die publiek aan sy prosesse te vergemaklik. Ondanks die geleenthede wat die parlement geskep het om die betrokkenheid van die publiek by sy prosesse aan te moedig, het die vorige navorsingstudies tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat daar steeds leemtes of swak plekke was in die wyse waarop die parlement openbare deelname vergemaklik. Hierdie studie evalueer die strategieë wat deur die Parlement gebruik word om openbare deelname aan sy aktiwiteite te vergemaklik, om te bepaal of dit ‘n bydrae lewer tot betekenisvolle deelname wat die uitkoms van die besluitnemingsprosesse verbeter. Om data in te samel, is twee navorsingstegnieke in hierdie studie gebruik, naamlik onderhoude en dokumentanalise. In hierdie studie is bevind dat die Parlement daartoe verbind is om die betrokkenheid van die publiek by sy aktiwiteite aan te moedig, sodat openbare deelname as 'n strategiese prioriteit van die instelling aanvaar is. Uitdagings wat die instansie se vermoë om sinvolle openbare deelname te fasiliteer om die uitkoms van die besluitnemingsprosesse te verbeter, kom egter voor. Op grond van die bevindings bied die studie 'n aantal aanbevelings wat die instelling vorentoe met die oog op die implementering van die beste praktyke vir openbare deelname moet oorweeg.Master