Parliament has been shaken up by a crop of young MPs whose robust conduct on various committees has been met with fury and disbelief in some quarters. But the young guns on the parliamentary benches are undaunted and have vowed to remain steadfast.
The EFF’s 27-year-old Sihle Lonzi believes the posture adopted by him and his peers should be commended, not condemned.
“In the past, when people thought of parliament, the focus was on the big events, such as Sona, the budget speech, or even Q&A with the president. That’s where the so-called action was. No-one really paid much attention to the committees. But now we have sparked interest in them, with the result that citizens are in the know about what is going on in the National Assembly,” he said.
Lonzi said he and his colleagues were simply following his party leader Julius Malema’s directive that they be more hands-on in parliament.
“From that day onwards, [the attitude in the party was that] not a single member should miss a committee meeting, and that members had to plan and raise really constructive questions.”
He said the recent dramatic fall in support for the ANC, which plummeted to 40% in last year’s election, had been an added game-changer.
“Because historically the ANC had the numbers, they used to abuse their majority. In the committee meetings, everything would just be rushed to a vote — they didn’t devote much time to engagement and debate. Everything was rushed, and they were comfortable with resorting to a vote because they knew they had 50% plus one and could pass things.
“But now that support for them has dropped they have been forced to ventilate issues. This has allowed an important gap in South Africa’s democracy to be filled. Now we are starting to be much more robust. We are hoping our style inspires other MPs on other committees to ensure ministers don’t just come, present and leave, but that they are scrutinised when it comes to their deliverables.”
Lonzi said it was crucial for the government to take the National Assembly and its portfolio committees seriously.
“It has helped tremendously that parliament is starting to grow teeth, but we still have a long way to go to get it to where we want it to be. Ministers are starting to see that parliament is no longer just a talking shop where they can come and do as they please — and then leave. They are now being scrutinised and held accountable.”
Of course, we have to respect people who are older than us, but that does not mean we have to water down how we are seeking accountability from them.
— Sihle Lonzi, EFF MP
Lonzi conceded that criticism about the need to maintain decorum in parliament was valid. However, he said there were those who sought to use respectability politics to gag him and his colleagues.
“I’m a robust character, so I raise my issues sharply. I always try to maintain a level of respect in how I address the people who are there. But certain members of the executive want to use age as a means of evading accountability.
“There’s an indistinct line that we who were raised in African backgrounds cannot cross. Of course we have to respect people who are older than us, but that does not mean we have to water down how we are seeking accountability from them. We are not children when we are in parliament — we are working.”
Liam Jacobs, a former DA MP who defected to the Patriotic Alliance late on Friday, echoed Lonzi’s sentiments, saying young people were ordinary MPs, just like their elders.
“We are all elected public representatives and thus have equal rights. In fact, I have noted that my young colleagues are stirring up an interest in politics among the youth that has been absent for some time. I maintain this stems from witnessing young MPs in action.”
The 24-year-old hailed young MPs’ use of social media platforms to amplify the work they did in parliament.
“It cuts out the middleman and communicates to people where they are. Traditionally, MPs would rely on media houses to get their messages out to constituents. Social media hastens the process, allowing parliamentarians to communicate directly with the electorate in a digestible manner. I think more MPs should make use of social media to spread awareness of the good work they’re doing,” Jacobs said.
He acknowledged concerns about the confrontational stance adopted by some young MPs, but defended their approach, saying this manner of interrogation had yielded better results in terms of accountability.
“It forces officials to come to parliament fully prepared, and this will ultimately benefit all those they are meant to serve. I lead from a place of love, and I am mandated to defend South Africans and stand up for South Africans at every single exchange. This includes standing up for the country when taxpayer money is abused. I will always be unapologetic about my defence of South Africans,” he said.
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