Institutionalising parliament in South Africa: the challenges to parliamentary leadership

Abstract

English: As democratisation moves from a transitional phase to one of consolidation, the legislature becomes integral to the process. In South Africa, the conflict-regulating capacity of the new democratic system is determined to a large extent by the constitutionally created institutions, on the one hand, and political leadership, on the other. This study will attempt to gauge the attitudes of the South African elites and the public to the performance or worth of parliament as an emerging institution in the aftermath of the country’s first democratic elections, and in so doing, to ascertain the progress of the institutionalisation process. It is argued that attitudes are based primarily upon the performance of parliament, with the parliamentary leadership and the opportunities and dilemmas it faces forming the core of this discussion.

Afrikaans: In die oorgangsfase van transisie na konsolidering word die wetgewende gesag ’n integrale deel van die konsolideringsproses in nuwe demokrasieë. In Suid-Afrika word die konflikregulerende kapasiteit van die nuwe demokratiese stelsel in ’n groot mate bepaal deur die konstitusioneel-ontwerpte instellings en politieke leierskap. Hierdie studie poog om elite en openbare houdings oor die werkverrigting of waarde van die parlement as ’n ontluikende demokratiese instelling te toets ten einde vordering in die institusionalisering daarvan vas te stel. ’n Groot deel van die bespreking word gewy aan die bestaande houdings oor die waarde van die parlement, en die geleenthede en dilemmas wat dit aan die parlementêre leierskorps bied.