The Big Think Government and Society
Hand over of High Level Panel final report on the Assessment of Key Legislation and the Acceleration of Fundamental Change in Society The Parliament speakers’ Forum of South Africa was on 21 November 2017 presented with the final report of the High Level Panel (HLP) at a special forum meeting held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The special meeting of the Speakers’ Forum was followed by a Gala Dinner where the report and the response of the Legislative Sector of South Africa was unveiled to the media and stakeholders.The Speakers Forum of South Africa composed of the national Parliament and nine provincial legislatures The report essentially graphically shows progress made to improve many facets of people’s lives in South Africa through the execution of hundreds of pieces of legislation passed by the whole legislative sector since the advent of democracy. The report also paints a disheartening picture of legislative and policy gaps, as well as failed execution of many brilliant pieces of legislation and policies. “We do appreciate the fact that 15 generations of systemic and institutionalized colonialism, apartheid and racial discrimination primarily aimed at the exclusion of the black majority in the mainstream development of society, cannot be reversed in just one (1) generation (i.e. 20 years). We there acknowledge that there is a long way to go to be able to claim we are out of the woods. So much needs to be done to realize a fully democratic, nonracial, nonsexist and prosperous society where all its citizens enjoy a great quality of life”speaker of paliarment Baleka Mbete South Africa faces many socio-economic challenges ranging from increasing inequality from 0.59 to 0.69 on the gini coefficient scale, unemployment at 27% of the economically active population, the declining technical competencies of young Africans in individual households by 13% on a per capita scale, the “dangerous cocktail” of skills shortages, unemployment and crime affecting predominantly young people in South Africa, shocking proportions of corruption and maladministration, and the violent crime levels citizens experience, dysfunctional hospitals and broken schools, community members dying unnecessarily and children with no hope of passing exams, unresolved land claims. “These outcomes simply mean it can never be business as usual” add Mbete The report reveals that the ills of the past are being reproduced in post-apartheid society, despite extensive legislative reform.” It is important to note that the evidence also highlights some improvements in outcomes. But the observed changes have not dented the deep inequities in the quality of services received in many instances, nor have they made fundamental shifts in outcomes” Former president Kgalema Motlanthe. The report present recommendations, which cover specific legislation and the state of execution and governance, offer some direction in relation to how to bring about accelerated change in relation to poverty and inequality, land reform and social cohesion and nation building. In some instances, the legislative interventions recommended by the Panel are specific and urgent, to address urgent societal problems, or because the Panel has identified problems with Bills that are currently before Parliament.
In other instances, the Panel recommends integrated process-based approaches to crosscutting, deeply embedded problems such as the legacy of spatial inequality The High Level Panel report proposes the key interventions summarised below to accelerate fundamental change. The country needs to build human capabilities to enable economic participation, social cohesion and an engaged citizenry. This should be done through access to quality education and skills and focusing on improving the governance of schools and the skills of teachers and principals The Panel’s recommendations also direct efforts towards sharpening tools for skills development post-school and involving the private sector in . delivering workplace-based learning. It should also be done through access to quality healthcare. On wealth redistribution The Panel supports measures to deepen existing wealth taxes. The Panel would like to see the economy opened up for participation by the formerly excluded to support meaningful small enterprise and high-potential entrepreneurship. Lack of access to finance is a common refrain by new and small business operators. The Panel recommends legislative efforts to support the advancement of capital to new or small businesses, with emphasis on equity and royalty-based financing schemes, in addition to loans. South Africa must break the spatial legacy of apartheid, which separates the majority of people from economic activity and does not allow informal forms of activity to thrive where people are, traps disadvantaged communities in poverty and underdevelopment, creates inefficient cities and robs poor, rural people of secure livelihoods. The Panel makes recommendations that seek to break this damaging spatial pattern The Panel also makes recommendations for the enactment of laws to recognise and administer a continuum of land rights. Finally, the Panel makes recommendations that aim to rectify problematic legislation that perpetuates insecurity of tenure in rural areas. We need meaningful land reform that recognises the property rights of the poor and previously excluded “We believe, our stakeholders and also the media, have an absolutely critical role in the evolution and revolution of our society. Your legitimacy, power, influence and capacity can also make a difference in the Sector’s endeavours for reposition itself” deputy speaker Mr Lechesa Tshenuli
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Edited by Tsele Moloi 20 November 2017