Parliamentary Role in Addressing the Critical Tasks for the Successful Achievement of African Unity and Development

Kent Durr, MP (NCOP) – ACDP

Tuesday, 11 June 2002

African Christian Democratic Party MP Mr. Kent Durr gave the following speech in the National Council of Provinces today regarding the Parliamentary Role in Addressing the Critical Tasks for the Successful Achievement of African Unity and Development:

I believe our Parliament has many roles to play “in addressing the critical tasks for the successful achievement of African Unity and development”.

We need to understand that the successful functioning of the African Union does not necessarily mean Africa Unity. Unity cannot mean sameness or conformity. It will essentially at best be a unity in diversity, but with certain shared values and agreed common objections; as set out in NEPAD for example.

The first imperative is for us is to be a successful and effective Parliament that fulfils the custodianship of the constitutional values we swear to uphold in their entirety, without compromise.

African eyes are firmly glued on us to achieve this.

In other words we are a role model. A society with principles and values worth emulating.

Parliament should be seen in Africa and the world to be the carrier and a guarantor of human rights and responsibilities. That Parliament indeed remains the voice of (all) the people, that it makes that voice count and that it produces government that is responsive and sensitive to the rights and interest of minorities and majorities alike.

That it is a forum where people are free to speak their minds and to be heard, where powerful and productive exchanges of views can fertilize the growth of the nation.

Where the media find sanctuary and can report and promote the free flow of ideas and views without fear or favour.

That Parliament retains its constructive critical faculty without which real improvement in society is not possible.

Our Parliamentary system is not necessarily for export, but the universal values that underpin our Parliament, the democratic values of free men and women, certainly are.

We all know Africa and the world is watching us. So the role model of a successful functioning Parliament is paramount.

If we discard our values as soon as we cross the Limpopo, or enter an Arab tent, we will not be useful to anyone let alone ourselves.

People must know that when they meet South Africans they are dealing with a fiercely free people.

The government is not Parliament and vice versa, and we in the legislature can play a real role in conflict resolution, reconciliation, election, capacity building, mentoring and generally supporting, understanding and encouraging others on the road to democracy. Furthermore we can give moral support to Parliament to promote their independence, visa versa their executive.

It is also not enough for Parliament to be democratic and representative – they need also to be effective custodians of liberty, freedom, oversight, transparency and be watchdogs of good government.

Around the world and in Africa, the freer societies are, generally, the more successful ones.

The difficult part is entrenching values and principles of sustainable, effective democracy. The easy part is building buildings and having media events.

We must encourage and reward those that share our values. We must be welcoming to those who don’t and we must reject those government and parliaments that subvert and violate our values.

Corruption is rife in Africa. The test for corruption is not that it occurs and the people are susceptible, the test is how does Parliament and the State act when it occurs and what is the preventative machinery that is in place.

In other words is South African and its Parliament, crime must not pay.



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For further comment please call Kent Durr MP at 083 280 2674 or ACDP Media Liaison Liza Bloemetje at 082 478 1037