Chairperson, because I only have about four minutes, I will try to be fast. Parliament is the grand institution of the nation. Our Parliament should be perceived as such by the people of the country. Perception in politics is everything. Ivor Chipkin says that our politics appeal to the wrong essentialism. They appeal to the essentialism of race and culture, instead of to the essentials of the Constitution.
As the principle of responsible government prevails in South Africa, the executive has to be fully accountable to the parliamentarians. Unfortunately, those who have most cause to raise the most issues are afforded the least time. Conversely, those who have the least questions are given too much time. Such an apportionment of time, as occurs in Parliament, fits very poorly with the principle of responsible government and contributes to the worst problem in government. Is Parliament really holding the government accountable? To answer this question, the Chairperson should produce a balance sheet. The facts must speak for themselves. This refers to answering of question by Ministers.
To us in Cope, it seems as though the parliamentarian majority only serves to democratically trump Parliament's constitutional obligations. Therefore, where electorates give a political party maximum support, they get minimum results. This irony is not lost on the people. South Africans are more likely to trust our courts than Parliament because Parliament does not give clear judgments on issues and is perceived to be hedging on challenges.
I now come to the question of the media. The media coverage of politics is about political conduct because Parliament offers no real debate on policies or current issues. The debilitation of Parliament is as a result of what we have made our Parliament to be.
In conclusion, if the role of Parliament in the public's mind is minimised and it can no longer serve as the grand institution, the people, to whom Parliament belongs, will increasingly reject Parliament. It is in our interests and the interests of the nation to revitalise Parliament. I thank you. [Applause.]