George Sanzila
Speaker of the National Assembly Professor Peter Katjavivi has commended South Africa for its boldness in filing a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the latter’s alleged breach of the UN Convention on genocide by killing Palestinians in Gaza.
Katjavivi mentioned this at the 2024 South African Legislative Sector Oversight Summit, currently underway in Cape Town. The Speaker is among other Speakers of Parliaments invited to the summit.
Katjavivi said the decision by South Africa was not only a victory for the country but for humanity, and a learning curve for would-be transgressors. “I just want to applaud South Africa for garnering the courage, based on our own painful experiences with apartheid oppression during the struggle against colonialism, to take Israel to court to be compelled to end the suffering of the people of Palestine. Indeed, this was a courageous move for the whole of our common humanity,” he noted.
In a recent preliminary landmark ruling, the court ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent genocide, including refraining from harming or killing Palestinians.
Katjavivi also emphasised the importance of collaboration to enhance oversight, adding that challenges facing parliaments today such as resources’ and skills limitations required a strategic approach.
“Addressing these challenges require a strategic approach, focusing on efficient resource allocation, comprehensive training, and capacity-building. Our aim is to equip our legislative bodies with the tools and expertise necessary for thorough and impactful oversight,” the Speaker told delegates who included his South African counterpart, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and the new president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Tanzanian speaker, Tulia Ackson.
E-parliament
With the Namibian Parliament having recently adopted its e-parliament strategy, Katjavivi underlined the transformative role played by digital tools in the legislative process. “We must continue to explore and embrace digital tools that aid in data management, public engagement and process optimisation. The experience we faced during the Covid-19 global pandemic demonstrated that parliaments across the globe need to be technologically dynamic in times of unforeseen challenges,” he opined.
The two-day event held under the theme “Striving for oversight that ensures the realisation of a better life for all South Africans”, is meant to reflect on the gains the sector has made in strengthening democracy, and how to optimise collaboration.
*George Sanzila works for the National Assembly in the Division: Research, Information, Publications and Editorial Services*