ID’S LANCE GREYLING CONTRIBUTES TO DEBATE ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY
15 SEPTEMBER 2010-Honourable Speaker, today is a day to celebrate democracy. It is a day to recognise how democracy has enhanced the lives of citizens around the world who are fortunate enough to live in democratic countries. It is also a time to show solidarity with those people in the world who are still fighting, sometimes against tremendous adversity, to instil democracy in their own countries.
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Honourable Speaker, today is a day to celebrate democracy. It is a day to recognise how democracy has enhanced the lives of citizens around the world who are fortunate enough to live in democratic countries. It is also a time to show solidarity with those people in the world who are still fighting, sometimes against tremendous adversity, to instil democracy in their own countries.
For us in South Africa we can take pride in the birth of our own democracy 16 years ago and the freedom from racial oppression that it brought about. As we do that though, we need to ask ourselves some serious questions about the current state of our democracy and the challenges that it currently faces.
Although the structure of our democracy is in place, it risks being hollowed out through the gradual closing down of spaces in which true democratic debate can take place. The Protection of Information Bill and the proposed media tribunal are just two examples in which transparency and free expression are being threatened by the ANC.
Parliament as the ultimate expression of our democracy also needs to be reformed in line with the recommendations put forward by the Independent Panel. In addition, the influence of money continues to eat away at our democratic structures as conflicts of interests regarding Ministers and even the ruling party itself makes a mockery of good governance principles.
If we are serious about strengthening our democracy then we would use this day to commit to finally putting in place the long overdue legislation to regulate the private funding of political parties. It is our democracy and the voters deserve it.
I thank you.
For media enquiries, please call Steven Otter on 084 233 3811
Honourable Speaker, today is a day to celebrate democracy. It is a day to recognise how democracy has enhanced the lives of citizens around the world who are fortunate enough to live in democratic countries. It is also a time to show solidarity with those people in the world who are still fighting, sometimes against tremendous adversity, to instil democracy in their own countries.
For us in South Africa we can take pride in the birth of our own democracy 16 years ago and the freedom from racial oppression that it brought about. As we do that though, we need to ask ourselves some serious questions about the current state of our democracy and the challenges that it currently faces.
Although the structure of our democracy is in place, it risks being hollowed out through the gradual closing down of spaces in which true democratic debate can take place. The Protection of Information Bill and the proposed media tribunal are just two examples in which transparency and free expression are being threatened by the ANC.
Parliament as the ultimate expression of our democracy also needs to be reformed in line with the recommendations put forward by the Independent Panel. In addition, the influence of money continues to eat away at our democratic structures as conflicts of interests regarding Ministers and even the ruling party itself makes a mockery of good governance principles.
If we are serious about strengthening our democracy then we would use this day to commit to finally putting in place the long overdue legislation to regulate the private funding of political parties. It is our democracy and the voters deserve it.
I thank you.
For media enquiries, please call Steven Otter on 084 233 3811
