Deputy Chairperson, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, I rise to present and table the report on the NCOP Whippery's study tour to the Republic of India from 15 to 19 August 2011.
The decision to visit the upper House of Parliament in India was informed by a number of factors. Firstly, we did so because our Council and the Rajya Sabha possess great similarities that permeate them, coming from the institutional design of their mandate.
Secondly, we undertook the study tour to the Rajya Sabha to look at the functioning of the Whippery and the mechanisms that were in place in the Rajya Sabha to enhance the role of the Whippery, particularly the political management and co-ordination of the business of committees and plenary sessions.
Thirdly, we also wanted to look at systems, processes and mechanisms that were in place in the Rajya Sabha to strengthen the representation of provincial interests. We did so because our Council and the Rajya Sabha have a very important and unique role to play in being the voices of the provinces and a national platform for the representation of issues from provinces.
Lastly, we also wanted to look at the measures that have been put in place in the Rajya Sabha to ensure that the Whips play an integral role in enforcing discipline and monitoring. The Chairperson of the NCOP said yesterday that we should keep them on their toes!
I must say that this House made an investment in training us as the Whippery, and it is our duty to attain the outcomes and outputs of our training and justify the money that was invested in us. That is why we are always learning and continue to act as Whips as we are expected to do.
I am speaking through you, Chairperson. Hon Gunda, will you stop your interference while I am speaking.
Our visit to the Rajya Sabha was humbling and quite an experience for all of us. We received a welcome from the SA High Commissioner to India, His Excellency, Rev Majeke, and his team and from the various members of the Rajya Sabha and the staff we met.
We were indeed humbled to find that the NCOP and Rajya Sabha processes were similar in regard to their institutional arrangements, mandates and functions. These two Houses have similar constitutional responsibilities that demonstrate a homogeneous ideal interpretation of their political and institutional functions.
I must say that, like our Council, the Rajya Sabha is not only a legislative assembly but also a deliberative body that plays a very important role in the overall governance of the affairs of the people of India, particularly those in the states. The Rajya Sabha makes a valuable contribution in transposing the diverse views of the people from the 28 states of India to the national agenda.
We were humbled to learn that the Whippery in the Rajya Sabha plays an integral role in the overall political management of Parliament. It ensures that there is always decorum and that Members of Parliament are in Parliament to undertake their parliamentary duties.
The report of the Whippery contains a wealth of information on various aspects of the functioning of the Rajya Sabha, particularly on the role that the Whippery plays in driving the political implementation of the mandate of the Rajya Sabha, which we believe will assist the NCOP Whippery to strengthen certain areas of its work.
As the Whippery in the NCOP we must remember that we come from different provinces and we represent our parties, and we will make sure that we achieve results according to the manifestos that we gave to our people who voted for us. We will keep on learning and making sure that we have that political leadership in all the committees and in the work of the NCOP.
As the leader of the delegation, hon Nosipho Ntwanambi really wants to thank all the members who were part of the delegation, and she says she was profoundly humbled to lead such a diverse group of political leaders, who demonstrated the utmost commitment to the objectives of the tour.
Allow me also to express my profound gratitude to the multiparty delegation that represented the NCOP Whippery. We are also truly grateful to the provincial legislatures for allowing their Chief Whips to be part of the Whippery delegation to India. We are grateful to the staff in the office of the Chief Whip for ensuring that this study tour was a success and trust that there will be many more to come.
We sincerely hope that this report will serve as an important resource for our Council. We are sure that many of you will find it very useful, as we continue to move with the utmost speed to seek more ways to enhance and improve the functioning of the Whippery and our Council.
As I conclude, let me say that many of us have been wondering how we could have allowed ourselves to be sitting on this date, and so late. As I say, it is the mandate that was given to us. It is the investment that was made in us, to make sure that things run properly, and as such it was necessary for us to be in this Parliament until today. The Whippery will continue to make sure that the work is done.
Hon Chairperson, we table this report for consideration and urge each and every member of this House to read it. Thank you.
Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Report be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.