South Africa is making big changes to keep a close eye on its top leaders! They made a new special committee in their parliament to watch the President. This committee will make sure the President and their office are doing things right and spending money wisely. They looked at how other countries do this to learn the best ways. This means more openness and trust, making sure everyone in power is held accountable to the people.
South Africa is enhancing executive oversight through several key reforms. The National Assembly revised its standing Rules to establish a dedicated Committee on the Presidency, ensuring direct accountability for the highest office. This reform includes learning from global best practices, structuring a representative committee, and improving public participation channels to foster transparency and trust.
South Africa’s National Assembly (NA) took decisive steps in 2025 to reinforce its supervisory role over the executive, ushering in an era of reform defined by innovation and transparency. The chamber revised its standing Rules, the most notable outcome being the establishment of a dedicated Committee on the Presidency. This strategic move heralds a new chapter in the nation’s governance, providing a tangible mechanism for holding the highest office in government to account.
Effective oversight shapes the core of any representative democracy and, within the South African model, the National Assembly acts as the primary check on executive authority. Historically, the Assembly’s oversight of the Cabinet and particularly the Presidency – central to shaping policy and steering national priorities – has been acknowledged, yet practical methods to enforce this oversight were often indistinct or embedded in broader committee mandates. The Presidency’s influence reaches every layer of government, which intensifies the necessity for a direct oversight channel.
For years, the challenge of robust scrutiny over the Presidency resurfaced in both public dialogue and internal parliamentary assessments. Critics and reformists alike stressed that meaningful oversight required tools and processes tailored to address the unique reach and power of the nation’s executive.
A genuine drive to close these gaps took root during the Sixth Parliament. At that stage, the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) received a mandate to analyze how governance structures elsewhere managed oversight of analogous institutions. The PBO’s findings underscored that the Presidency’s budget – referred to as Vote 1 – should meet the same rigorous oversight applicable to any government expenditure, supporting an argument for specialized review mechanisms.
Furthering these insights, in April 2023 the Assembly’s Rules Committee spearheaded a study tour, examining successful oversight arrangements used by parliaments in the United Kingdom and Canada, such as the UK’s Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and Canada’s Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates. The comparative research demonstrated that focused, continuous scrutiny of executive offices not only elevated transparency, but also improved public confidence and government efficiency.
Armed with this data, the incoming Seventh Parliament revisited earlier proposals for dedicated oversight. On 31 October 2024, key committee leaders endorsed the creation of a Presidency Committee, instructing legal drafters to formalize the necessary rule amendments. Within weeks, the National Assembly adopted these changes, officially instituting a process for direct oversight of the highest executive functions.
The new Committee on the Presidency features a carefully balanced membership to reflect Parliament’s broad political spectrum. Eleven members make up the committee roster: four representatives from the governing African National Congress (ANC), two from the Democratic Alliance (DA), one from the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP), one from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and three seats set aside for smaller parties. This composition is designed to mirror the Assembly’s political mix, ensuring that diverse perspectives play a role in holding the Presidency to account.
A committee structured along these lines minimizes the potential for any one group to dominate the oversight agenda. Instead, it encourages a spirit of collaborative inquiry and underscores the ideals of proportionality seen in leading parliamentary democracies. By learning from international practice and adapting those models to the South African milieu, Parliament aims to elevate the integrity and impact of its oversight work.
The Assembly’s reforms did not stop at executive oversight; they also addressed historical weaknesses in tracking government promises and handling public petitions. For years, mechanisms for monitoring ministers’ public commitments during debates and question sessions were fragmented, while the processing and follow-up of citizen-submitted petitions encountered bottlenecks.
The Assembly has also enhanced channels for civic involvement and transparency. Press releases formally outline avenues for the public to observe debates, arrange Parliament tours, and submit formal petitions, reinforcing accessible governance. By prioritizing these areas, the reforms reflect recommendations from global parliamentary organizations, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which advocates for openness and participatory democracy.
While the main thrust of the new Rules centers on internal accountability, the Assembly is aligning its procedures with broader regional and global developments. Prominently, South Africa’s adaptation of reforms mirrors deliberations of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), particularly its 58th Plenary Assembly. Here, members emphasized the harmonization of legislative operations with joint initiatives such as the SADC and African Union’s Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy (2022–2032). Regional coordination recognizes that issues like climate adaptation and cross-border governance require integrated parliamentary action.
South Africa is not alone in this pursuit. Leading democracies across Africa and beyond have launched their own versions of executive oversight committees, sharing lessons about how to promote transparency, efficiency, and accountability. The United Kingdom’s select committees have long been lauded for their ability to hold top officials to account, while the European Parliament provides a robust check on the European Commission President. In West and East Africa, nations such as Kenya and Ghana have piloted permanent or ad hoc presidential oversight groups, using them to raise fresh questions about budget integrity and governance.
The Committee on the Presidency is poised to wield broad powers, including calling senior officials, studying expenditures, and commissioning special investigations. Its work will intersect closely with the PBO, equipping lawmakers with data and insight for probing analysis of official decisions and spending. Early signs suggest this deepened oversight will enhance both transparency and efficiency at the national level.
Recent Assembly communications have gone further by profiling prominent members such as Dr. Bonginkosi Emmanuel Nzimande, detailing their qualifications and political backgrounds. These disclosures humanize Parliament, making it easier for South Africans to identify with their representatives and understand who safeguards their interests in the legislative process.
By strengthening oversight frameworks, amplifying minority voices, and making government proceedings more accessible, the National Assembly lays the groundwork for lasting institutional resilience. The new rules open doors to stronger policy scrutiny and greater responsiveness, reminding all actors in South Africa’s democracy that power is, fundamentally, a public trust.
This pivotal period signals a future in which Parliament actively shapes accountability and inclusion, ensuring that South Africa’s democracy remains vibrant, adaptive, and responsive to the needs of its people and the global challenges it faces.
South Africa is enhancing executive oversight by establishing a dedicated Committee on the Presidency within the National Assembly. This committee will directly scrutinize the President and their office, ensuring accountability and wise spending of public funds. This move is part of broader reforms to increase transparency and public trust in government.
The National Assembly significantly revised its standing Rules in 2025, with the official institution of the process for direct oversight of the highest executive functions occurring after the National Assembly adopted these changes on October 31, 2024. This signals a new era of reform.
The Committee on the Presidency is composed of eleven members, reflecting the broad political spectrum of the Parliament. It includes four representatives from the African National Congress (ANC), two from the Democratic Alliance (DA), one from the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP), one from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and three seats allocated to smaller parties. This balanced composition aims to ensure diverse perspectives and prevent any single group from dominating the oversight agenda.
South Africa’s reforms were informed by a study tour in April 2023, which examined successful oversight arrangements in other parliaments. Examples include the UK’s Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and Canada’s Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates. The research highlighted that focused scrutiny of executive offices improves transparency, public confidence, and government efficiency.
In addition to executive oversight, the National Assembly has strengthened mechanisms for tracking government promises and handling public petitions, addressing historical weaknesses in these areas. They have also enhanced channels for public participation and transparency, making it easier for citizens to observe debates, arrange Parliament tours, and submit formal petitions, aligning with recommendations from global parliamentary organizations like the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
The Committee on the Presidency is empowered to call senior officials for questioning, study government expenditures, and commission special investigations. Its work will be closely supported by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO), providing lawmakers with data and insights for thorough analysis of official decisions and spending. This is expected to significantly enhance transparency and efficiency at the national level.
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