Prudence required

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma on Tuesday, during a question time session in the National Council of Provinces, gave the clearest indication yet that Parliament may be relocated to Pretoria.

The president holds it would be cheaper to move Parliament than for it to stay in Cape Town, and he has announced a team in government to explore the relocation.

It has been a perennial issue. Recently, parliamentary officers have complained there is not enough space to accommodate the various government departments in the precinct.

But the biggest consideration has been the cost of hosting the president, the executive, ministers, deputy ministers and support staff in two centres – Cape Town and Pretoria. It means airline tickets and two of everything – official vehicles, homes, offices with staff. The list of expenses goes on.

For Cape Town, it would not only be a financial blow. Just yesterday, protesters clashed with police outside Parliament over the ongoing university fees impasse while Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan was delivering his medium term budget speech.

Notwithstanding yesterday’s violence, the precinct has been a rallying point for ordinary citizens to voice their discontent in mostly peaceful protest. On any given day outside Parliament there are pro-Israeli or pro-Palestinian protesters, workers marching to express their grievances or lobby groups picketing for a cause.

WHAT is also expensive is the president’s bloated cabinet which has grown significantly on his watch. This, too, has placed enormous pressure on space at Parliament as new government portfolios and departments have been created.

Whatever decision is taken, it needs to be the right one for the country and its people. The president is right to be vigilant about the costs of running the government. But picking at a small part of the problem is just a beginning.

More broadly, an adherence to good governance that strikes out wasteful spending and corruption in government is required to make a meaningful difference.