Political and social pressure may be driving up parliamentary attendance numbers, judging by the people’s assembly parliamentary attendance online tool. For January-June 2017, there was only one minister absent from their oversight committee meeting (international relations & co-operation minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane) — against six ministers in the same period last year. "Though it is not a formal performance indicator … willingness to be accountable in parliament is important. For parliament’s role in holding the executive to account, the committee system is probably the most effective forum. Here, MPs can scrutinise and probe as far as the committee chair will permit; and the executive has to justify their decisions and performance. Committees can only perform their work optimally if there is a willingness by ministers and their deputies to attend proceedings and be held accountable." Lessing says the format and information listed on the site evolves as the people running the s...
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