In May 2014, South Africa will hold its fifth post-apartheid General Election. Attention is currently focused on political parties and their manifestos.
But what is this election for? Simply to anoint a winning party or to send people to parliament to make laws in order to improve the lives of South Africans? These are some of the pertinent questions that will be answered through a panel discussion at the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
Hosted by UJ’s Department of Politics the panel discussion, entitled Why Parliament Matters?, is scheduled for 18:00 on Monday, 10 March 2014 at the University’s Council Chamber, Madibeng Building, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus, Johannesburg.
This panel of experts will speak from the assumption that South Africa’s parliament, does matter – today, tomorrow and for the future! It matters because it should reflect the nuances embedded in the social and political relations between contending societal interests; because it has a constitutionally defined role as a place of political oversight and representation; and because parliaments are intended to counter-balance the authority of the executive. These issues will be debated by the panel in the context of the current election and the desirability of developing strong, representative and professional parliamentarians.
The panel members are: Dr Frene Ginwala (Former Speaker of the National Assembly); Aubrey Matshiqi (Helen Suzman Foundation); Mcebisi Ndletyana (MISTRA); Lawrence Hamilton (UJ); Steven Friedman (UJ) and Peter Vale (UJ).
