Get to Know Boyce Makhosonke Maneli

What is your political background? How did you come to join your political party and become an MP?

Being born and growing up in the Eastern Cape exposed me to the harsh realities of the Apartheid system as both sides of my family had political activists who were directly affected. During my schooling, I was exposed to the Youth Congress and in particular, to the student movement politics. Since then, I have participated in different structures in the community and the ANC Alliance both as a member and a leader. This includes 15 years as a Councillor in different roles and I exited as a district Executive Mayor in 2019 when I joined the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. In summary my political background was informed by environment and recruitment into politics.

What does your job as an MP entail? What impact do you hope to have?

As a Member of Parliament, I am individually and collectively participating in law making, doing oversight on the actions of the Executive, ensuring public participation in the work of parliament and whenever necessary, electing the President of the Republic. The main impact one hopes to achieve is to see the laws and service delivery through the executive actions impacting positively in the lived reality of the people of South Africa, thereby making them active participants in the work of Parliament and government.

What are your thoughts on the Government of National Unity (GNU) for the Seventh Parliament?

The Government of National Unity (GNU) is not a desired outcome for any party that contests an election, owing to its limitations in fully implementing your election Manifesto. Tactically, it is a better instrument in the hands of the people as it is based on responding to the call by voters, where they are clear on the largest party, and compelling them to work with other parties to advance the cause of the people. The agreed statement of Intent firmly anchored on the need to put the people of South Africa first is quite comforting. In my view it is in keeping with what the late ANC President OR Tambo said in 1991 in the ANC 48th National Conference under the theme in his speech “People’s Parliament” in reference to the ANC.

What can be done to get citizens more interested/ involved in Parliament?

As already stated in two above if the laws and service delivery through the actions of the Executives impact positively in the lived reality of the people of South Africa, the citizens will participate in their numbers in the work of parliament. Furthermore, our parliamentary programme provides for constituency periods which if used optimally, present an opportunity for citizens to have direct engagement with their public representatives, where they get feedback on work done and listen to issues that citizens want to raise with Parliament. This, over and above encouraging them to use petitions and attend public hearings.

Which Constituency Office/area have you been assigned to? Can you give examples of Constituency work you engaged in or plan to do?

In the short period ending in October 2024, I was deployed in Mogale City where the outreach with stakeholders identified water supply and sewerage challenges as well as land hunger for the religious sector, and working with the municipality those matters are receiving attention continuously. I have since been redeployed to the Germiston P.C.O. where the back-to-school campaign has been the major outreach programme. Currently we are following through matters arising in a structured manner as actions expected involve different spheres of government and civil society structures given the nature of these challenges.

What will you and your party be focusing on during your term? (will you introduce legislation, will your oversight focus on any specific area etc…)

We exercise oversight on the department of Employment and Labour (DEL) and its entities. Therefore, our focus will be on the contribution of the DEL in speeding up inclusive economic growth to create jobs. This means on the employment aspect, the consolidation of the public employment programmes and private sector intervention, as well as enforcement of existing labour laws and policies through its departmental units, and to work jointly with other departments. The National Labour Migration Policy necessitates the Employment Services Amendment Bill which we must consider in the portfolio committee once the Cabinet process is done. I am aware that the NEDLAC process on amending the Labour Relation Act (LRA) and associated Codes of Good Practice (COGP); Basic Conduct of Employment Act (BCEA); National Minimum Wage Act (NMW) and Employment Equity Act (EEA) are quite at an advanced stage, and therefore once Cabinet processes are done, we will consider those in terms of parliamentary processes. However, I must hasten to say, it will only make sense to process and implement legislation or policy within a term so as to see its impact in real time. However, this is dependent on many role players, hence sometimes this may be impossible.

What are you passionate about? This applies both in the political/professional arena and personally.

One is passionate about being of service to the people inside and outside of political office (that is at a political arena). As a developmental activist, I would like to pursue academic studies in Development Studies at a higher level now (professional arena) and quality time with my family at a personal arena, which is what I am passionate about.

What is your message to South Africa?

The journey to a National Democratic Society (a society that is non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, united and prosperous) which we started in 1994 with the advent of democracy is on course, even under conditions of the GNU, as we have seen transformative legislative frameworks signed into law like the NHI Act, BELA Act and Expropriation Act with more to come. Any journey will have its own turbulences, but instead of abandoning it, we navigate through because the ultimate is to reach the desired destination.

For more on Mr Maneli,visit his profile here