Parliament says goodbye to chapter nine heads

PARLIAMENT has bid farewell to the heads of four chapter nine institutions and thanked them for the roles they played in advancing democracy.

The event was held to see off Bongani Khumalo of the Financial and Fiscal Commission‚ Lawrence Mushwana of the Human Rights Commission‚ former public protector Thuli Madonsela and head of the Commission for Gender Equality‚ Mfanozelwe Shozi.

However, only Shozi and Khumalo were able to attend the event.

“They have made our constitutional democracy much stronger and have made citizens feel that the supreme law of the land protects them‚” said National Assembly house chair Thoko Didiza.

Deputy Minister of Justice and Correctional Services John Jefferey said that there was “more public interest than ever before” in chapter nine institutions‚ with the public showing more interest in who was appointed to lead them.

“It’s not enough for people to just have rights‚ it’s about knowing where to go when those rights are infringed‚” he said.

And while he said there had been some “robust exchanges” between the public protector and the justice committee and some court challenges‚ these were signs of a mature democracy.

“It’s not a bad thing or something to fear when they face off in court‚” he said.

In his final speech‚ Shozi called on lawmakers to consider adopting 50/50 legislation to ensure gender equality in politics‚ government and business.

Khumalo meanwhile called on parliament to ensure that the institutions were properly funded and resourced.

“I had a very hard time getting commissioners to attend meetings‚ particularly the part-time commissioners, because the remuneration just isn’t enough to make it worth their while‚” he said. — TMG Digital