A recent report has revealed a troubling trend: poor attendance by MPs at committee meetings, sparking questions about how well our elected officials are looking after our interests. These portfolio committee meetings play a crucial role in holding the government accountable, making their consistent participation vital to effective governance. While some may dismiss a few missed meetings as insignificant, the reality is far more concerning.
Key Findings on Attendance
Brace yourselves for this one – over half of MK MPs have been playing hooky, showing up to less than 75% of meetings. And it’s not just them; our friends from the EFF have been pulling similar disappearing acts over the last six months. It’s like they’re having a competition to see who can miss the most meetings!
Implications for Opposition Parties
Now, this isn’t just about empty chairs in meeting rooms. When opposition parties don’t show up, it’s like leaving the playing field wide open for the government. How can they hold the Government of National Unity (GNU) accountable if they’re not even in the room? It’s like trying to referee a game from the parking lot!
Detailed Attendance Data
Let’s break it down a bit more. Only eight out of MK’s 44 MPs and 13 out of EFF’s 42 MPs managed to show up to more than 90% of meetings. That’s not a great score. On the bright side, ANC and DA MPs seem to be a bit better at making it to class on time.
Worst Performing MPs
Hold onto your hats, because this next bit is a doozy. We’ve got 23 MPs who couldn’t even be bothered to show up to half of the 10 scheduled meetings. It’s like they’re allergic to committees or something! The breakdown goes like this: 6 from EFF, 5 each from IFP and MK, 2 from FF+, and a few others sprinkled in for good measure.
Comparison to Private Sector Standards
Our friend Paul Berkowitz made a great point about this whole situation. He noticed that there don’t seem to be any consequences for MPs who skip out on meetings. Can you imagine if we tried that in our regular jobs? “Sorry boss, I only felt like coming to work half the time this month and there is no biggie” I don’t think that would fly in most workplaces!
Attendance Trends Across Parties
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. The ANC and DA MPs generally seem to be doing a better job of showing up. But here’s the kicker – even some of the smaller parties are having trouble getting their MPs to meetings. It’s starting to look like a bigger problem than we thought.
List of Hardest-Working MPs
Let’s give a round of applause to the MPs who are putting in the hours. We’ve got eight from the ANC, two from the DA, and one each from Al Jama-ah and MK who managed to attend at least 30 meetings. Now that’s what I call dedication!
Conclusion
Alright, let’s wrap this up. We need to do something about this attendance problem. Maybe it’s time to start thinking about some consequences for MPs who can’t be bothered to show up. After all, these meetings are crucial for making sure our government is doing its job properly. Let’s hope our MPs start taking their responsibilities a bit more seriously – our democracy depends on it!
