How National Assembly plans to tackle Zondo Commission recommendations
THE National Assembly has agreed on a response to the Zondo Commission, which made several recommendations on how the national legislature should conduct its affairs.
This after the rules committee met on Wednesday after some parties snubbed a previous meeting meant to consider the commission's recommendations.
Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapho said the rules committee would receive a report on a bi-annual basis to ensure effective implementation of the recommendations pertaining to institutional mechanisms of the National Assembly.
In its report, the commission recommended that consideration be made for more opposition parties to chair portfolio committees.
It also recommended an oversight committee for the presidency.
The commission said there should be a constituency and proportional-based electoral system that will enable MPs to hold the executive accountable. The committee had also recommended that Parliament protect MPs from losing their seats for exercising their duties in good faith.
Secretary to the National Assembly Masibulele Xaso said they were proposing to the rules committee that the portfolio committee on home affairs was the best suited committee to deal with the matter.
He noted that there was an electoral bill that was being processed although it did not quite address elements of the commission's recommendation.
Xaso also said the commission recommended that parliament should allocate adequate funds for the portfolio committee to do their work.
“We note that there are on-going conversations with the executive on this issue of the funding of Parliament,” he said, adding that the presiding officers and the joint standing committee of financial management of Parliament should deal with the matter. Xaso said the issues related to the up-skilling of research and technical capability of committees should be referred to the institution's Secretary for consideration.