SPEECH BY THE HON DR T S FARISANI AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING FOR THE MPUMALANGA BRANCH OF THE
COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION ON BEHALF OF
THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES,
HON M J MAHLANGU ON 17 JUNE 2009
Programme Director
Hon Speaker
Hon Members of the Legislature
Distinguished guests
I am happy for the opportunity to address the Annual General
Meeting of the Mpumalanga branch of the Commonwealth
Parliamentary Association (CPA). The CPA is an important
platform for the strengthening of parliamentary democracy in
pluralist societies.
Addressing the 38th CPA Africa Region Conference on 27 July
2007, then President Thabo Mbeki said:
``If a question was put to all of us gathered here in Cape
Town
under
the
umbrella
of
the
Commonwealth
Parliamentary Association as to, "What gives us our shared
commonality, what would our answer be?
``Would the answer be that we are a commonwealth
because we speak the same language as that of our
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erstwhile coloniser? Or is it that we are a commonwealth
because we share a common and unique destiny?
``I think we would agree that forums such as this one provide
us with the opportunity to address such important questions
even though the particular question I posed was only
inspired by my recollection of an African saying that, 'the
name we carry is either a blessing or a curse.'’
Hon delegates, the importance of this poser to me is that it asks of
us whether the objectives of the CPA, irrespective of the past we
associate it with, are not that which the representative institutions
of our people should work towards and promote. Our participation
in the CPA over the years, since our new democratic dispensation,
is indeed testimony to the fact that we want to promote that which
the CPA stands for.
The mandate of the Association is to promote the advancement of
parliamentary
democracy
by
enhancing
knowledge
and
understanding of democratic governance. Furthermore, the CPA
seeks to build an informed parliamentary community able to
deepen the Commonwealth’s democratic commitment and to
promote cooperation among its Parliaments and Legislatures. This
mission is supported by the Association’s Strategic Plan, which
aims to ensure that CPA activities meet the changing needs of
today’s parliamentarians.
The main objectives of the CPA are to:
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 Assist Members and branches to adopt good practice of
democratic governance and to strengthen the institution of
Parliament through programmes, methods and techniques
appropriate to the CPA’s mission. This is accomplished by
encouraging modern, efficient and effective management
structures and the financial independence of legislatures.
 Promote the Commonwealth and deepen its democratic
commitment by strengthening the relationship of the CPA
with
the
Commonwealth
governmental
and
non-
governmental sectors.
 Increase
the
availability
of
professional
development
programmes to Members and parliamentary staff, through
outreach programmes and the use of strengthened delivery
systems that combine information and communication
technology (ICT) with other traditional methods.
 Assist developing Parliaments with consultancy and advisory
services and engage with other organisations to provide
broad-based support programmes. In accomplishing this
objective, the CPA seeks to focus its resources on regions
and branches, which have little funding available.
 Strengthen the CPA at branch, regional and international
levels through communication.
 Promote gender equality and equity in the work of the CPA,
as well as to encourage women to stand for election to
representative bodies by advocating for the removal of
barriers to their participation and facilitating their professional
contribution as Members.
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The CPA evolved from the Empire Parliamentary Association,
which was established in 1911, with the mission of increasing the
exchange of information and facilitating closer understanding
among those engaged in the parliamentary governments of the
Association. Its membership comprises 54 member countries. It is
structured to include eight regional branches (Africa, Asia,
Australia, British Islands, Canada, Caribbean, Mediterranean,
Pacific and South-East Asia); the General Assembly, Executive
Committee, the Secretariat, and the Treasury.
The General Assembly is the policy-making and management
authority of the CPA, whilst the authority for control and
management of the activities and the business of the CPA vests in
the Executive Committee. The Secretariat is mainly responsible for
the interpretation and implementation of CPA policies and the
enhancement of its activities. The Treasurer manages and
accounts for the finances of the CPA. The Association does not
possess any legislative powers, as it continues to pursue its role of
promoting advocacy and knowledge on constitutional, legislative,
economic, social and cultural aspects of parliamentary democracy.
The CPA’s core areas of activity for the period 2004-2009 related
to:
 Commonwealth,
Parliamentary
Development
 Human Rights
 Global, National Pace and Security
 Sustainable Development
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and
Professional
 Poverty Reduction and
 Gender Equality and Women Emancipation
Its budget is financed by its Members out of public funds through
subscription fees paid annually by Member Parliaments. For the
same period 2004-2009, the CPA managed to keep its expenditure
within the boundaries of the resources allocated to it.
The Parliament of South Africa has not been able to implement all
the activities of the CPA, mainly because of its lack of capacity in
empowering MPs on issues relating to the CPA. Consequently,
there are a number of outstanding issues that need to be
addressed by the CPA delegation of the 4th democratic Parliament
in order for Parliament to fully benefit from its membership to the
institution, for example:
 establishing focus groups that deal with issues of the CPA
specifically
 building institutional capacity to ensure the facilitation and
monitoring of the implementation of reports arising from CPA
meetings
It is with a great sense of pride to convey to the Hon Members that
during South Africa’s tenure in the chair of the CPA Africa Region
in 2007-2008 we initiated, finalised and had adopted by
conference, the strategic plan for the region. This is one
achievement we are commended for by our counterparts in the
region.
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The CPA Africa Strategic Plan for 2008-2011 is premised on the
following two important considerations:
1. Contextualisation
CPA Africa Region is both aligned to Commonwealth and African
agendas and challenges. Both of these agendas require that CPA
Africa focus on the domain of achieving Good Governance
amongst CPA members and ensure capacity building.
This requires the CPA - Africa Region to address a number of
domains which include:
1. Governance;
2. Parliaments ( to be enlightened and ideas provided);
3. Social issues (HIV/AIDS, gender, inequality) and
4. Economic issues (poverty)
The primary role of the CPA Africa Region is seen to reside
primarily in the first three listed domains for the purposes of this
Strategic Plan and less in the economic domain.
2. Geo-Political Context
- CPA Africa Region is part of the CPA International
organisation composed of African countries that were
formally under British rule. Some of these countries are also
members of other regional bodies such as PAP, APU,
SADC-PF, EALA, ASSECCA and Ecrias-P.
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- The purpose of forming the CPA International organization
was to have a platform at which Members of Parliament and
Staff could share views, experiences and practices in terms
of parliamentary management and linkages with the
Executive and the Judiciary.
- Currently the CPA Africa Region’s focus is on the following
issues:
a. Good Governance
b. Parliamentary development
c. Gender mainstreaming
d. Achievement
of
Millennium
Development
Goals
(MDGs)
Hon delegates, the global community has the responsibility to
respond to the challenge of inequality among the people. We live
in a world where billionaires live side-by-side with people who live
on or below the poverty line. It is a sitting timebomb waiting to
explode. The poor and the voiceless, many of whom are in the
continent, will one day reclaim the resources they have been
denied all along. They may rise up and demand what is theirs.
Let us, under conditions of peace, facilitate the process of uplifting
our people through democratic processes, before they revolt.
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Let us use the available platforms that are there to promote
democracy, such as the CPA, to champion the interests of poor
nations. Let us use them to sensitise rich nations, to do good on
their promises. Let us use them to heal the scars left by
colonisation.
I am indeed privileged to have had the opportunity to address you
and I wish you very good deliberations and elections.
Thank you
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