/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP), with its DA majority, has been fast out of the blocks as it gets to work representing the interests of Western Cape residents and holding the provincial government, as well as relevant national government departments, to account.

Since the swearing in of Members of the Provincial Parliament, and the election of the Premier on 13 June, the WCPP has already held 7 Sittings of the House. Sittings provide an opportunity for debate, for questions to be answered by the executive and for motions to be moved. There have been 6 debates in the House, including a special Matter of Public Importance debate proposed by a member of the opposition. On days where there are no debates, the Premier answers questions without notice in the House, and the order of askers is completely random, providing MPPs with an excellent opportunity to gain more insight into issues affecting their constituents. There have been 2 Questions to the Premier sessions thus far.

The Western Cape’s Standing Committees have held a total of 40 meetings in the first 100 days, wasting no time electing chairpersons, and regularly meeting on issues of public importance. Some of the highlights thus far include a focus on social worker safety, extortion rackets, and engagements with SANTACO on mobility in the province.

DA members have submitted 46 written parliamentary questions to the Western Cape Government in the first 100 days of the term. In addition, the DA has submitted 17 questions for oral reply that were answered by the relevant ministers in the House. It is the job of a provincial legislature to hold the executive to account, and one of the best ways to do this is through questions on their programmes and performance. DA ministers are seldom absent on sitting days, and never avoid answering difficult questions directly.

There is simply no doubt about it, the WCPP is the best-performing provincial legislature in the country, thanks to years of building world-class parliamentary processes and a culture of robust oversight under DA governance. The Western Cape Government works because the WCPP works. The DA remains committed to transparency and accountability because that is the only way a legislature and government can truly deliver for its people.

Issued by Gillion Bosman, MPP - DA Chief Whip in Western Cape Provincial Parliament