parliament
Evidence wa ka Ngobeni
The government is backing a proposal that, if implemented, will see seats in Parliament occupied by hundreds of South Africa’s children once a year to assess the government’s strides on youth development.
The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has put the proposal forward and, according to the youth organisation, parliamentary officials have undertaken to implement it by next year.
Although the youth parliament will not pass laws it will serve as a platform for various government ministers to account to youth structures on what they have done to create jobs, and make life better for young people in South Africa.
The youth parliament will also provide youth organisations with opportunities to ask ministers and government officials questions and then debate the issues relating to the youth.
ANCYL president Songezo Mjongile says the youth parliament concept proposes that a report on government delivery to youth develoment be released annually.
The ANCYL claims that many government departments have not made youth development an integral part of their programmes, hence many issues such as youth unemployment, access to quality education and HIV/Aids continue to hit the country’s youth hard.
“We are working all round to make the youth parliament a success, but the problem for now is just the lack of funds,” said Mjongile.
The ANCYL says it has discussed the plans with ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni, who gave the concept a sympathetic ear. However, implementation is still some way off due to financial constraints. The ANCYL believes that the government should fund the youth parliament.
At the moment, youth participation in Parliament is confined to the deployment of youth leaders by various political parties.
Since 1994, the ANCYL has deployed its members in the National Assembly and more recently in the National Council of Provinces, and some are holding key positions. For example, the ANCYL’s treasurer general chairs the social services select committee, while another ANCYL member chairs the finance committee.
The ANCYL says most of its members are representing the youth in various parliamentary proceedings. This includes the debates on the president’s state of the nation address.
ANCYL North West executive members Andries Nel and Neo Masithela have been deployed as whips in Parliament and the ANC’s national working committee has adopted a proposal by the youth league for a parliamentary committee on youth, children and the disabled.
The committee, called the joint monitoring committee on children, youth and disabled sersons, is chaired by an ANCYL member.
The league says the youth parliament will not become “another talk show. It must have a bearing and influence attempts and programmes aimed at developing the youth.”
The ANCYL says the youth parliament will also serve “to transform Parliament into an institution where the general public also has a right to participate.
“We also believe that in order to enhance communication and inculcate accountability, all young members of Parliament must be deployed to the youth as their sector (constituency) to give update on specific legislations and also to receive new mandates.”
The ANCYL is set to meet with the ANC to discuss the “question of sectoral constituency deployment for some of our youth MPs”.