Parliament has boasted about setting new standards this year in holding the executive to account as well as passing legislation. In a review of its activities this year, Parliament says one of its milestones was handling the election of President Cyril Ramaphosa a day before he delivered the State-of-the-Nation-Address in February this year. It also passed 23 bills this year compared to 18 last year.
Parliament says it called both President Ramaphosa and his Deputy David Mabuza at least 15 times this year to answer oral questions in both houses of this institution. The two faced about 81 questions from the National Assembly and the NCOP. Ministers were also held to account with more than four thousand questions for written or oral reply. The institutions also held debates about the economy, rising fuels prices, and the question of land. It says one of its highlights is the establishment of an ad hoc committee looking into the amendment the constitution to allow for expropriation of land without compensation.
