Charles Molele
Parliament has approved rules to allow members of the National Assembly, National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and parliamentary committees to participate in virtual meetings via electronic means, according to the Office of the Speaker.
The decision was taken in order to allow MPS to continue to debate various issues and legislations in Parliament, including how to deal with the coronavirus crisis using a video-link.
The rules governing virtual meetings were published on Wednesday in Parliament’s Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports.
In a media statement on Wednesday, parliament’s spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said that during virtual meetings MPs will have the same powers, privileges and immunities as they ordinarily have in parliamentary proceedings and quorum requirements will be determined by the Constitution and the Rules. Current rules on order in public meetings and in debates will apply, where relevant.
“The
Presiding Officer of a House or the chairperson of a committee will have all
the powers in virtual meetings as provided for in existing rules,” said
Mothapo.
“Members will be entitled to cast their votes either
electronically, by voice or by having their vote recorded by their whips. The
procedure to be followed will be predetermined and directives will be announced
in the meeting by the Presiding Officer or Committee Chairperson.”
Mothapo said Parliament’s virtual meeting will be televised or live-streamed in various electronic and broadcast platforms.
“Public participation and access to virtual proceedings must be made possible in a manner that is consistent with a participatory and representative democracy and a virtual meeting must be live-streamed, wherever possible, the NA virtual meeting rules say,” he said.
Until Wednesday’s amendment, the standing orders of the house required members to be physically present in the chamber for any debate to take place and for legislation to be passed.
Parliament said with government’s coronavirus lockdown regulations now in place, this has become impossible without breaching social distancing requirements.
