Parliament’s budget debates reveal the disturbing psyche of the nation
Vague, meaningless speeches from ministers, followed by raging and obscenities from the back benches, put paid to the cool-headed debate that is the democratic ideal
Budget debates are the places where ministers tell us what they and their departments intend to do for the next year and how they intend to pay for it. One would expect, therefore, that ministers would seize the opportunity to present something cogent, focused, even visionary; to show how efficiently and effectively they have used and will, over the coming year, use their funding, and to persuade Parliament and the public that they are in charge, on the ball and have the public’s interests at heart. The minister’s speech is followed by those of MPs. One would expect that they, in turn, would demonstrate their grasp and critique of the minister’s vision, and show where their own vision might differ. All MPs, that is. The point is that Parliament, consisting of MPs from all political parties, is a vehicle for oversight over the executive, consisting of ministers. Members of the governing party and the opposition parties are equally responsible for making clear what they think is good ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.