- 'State Chair' a symbol of subjugation of Parliament by President - Request amendment of Standing Orders to abolish State Chair
Leader of Opposition, Dithapelo Keorapetse who is also Member of Parliament for Selibe-Phikwe West, wants Parliament to abolish ‘State Chair’ and for the President to attend Parliament.
According to Keorapetse, there is a tradition by the President to address Parliament seated on a chair referred to as 'State Chair' in the Standing Orders.
He said the President after his delivery of the State of the Nation Address leaves the House and seldom returns to hear Members of Parliament debate his speech and never responds to their deliberations.
Keorapetse wants Parliament to amend its Standing Orders to address this ‘anomaly’.
In a letter written to the Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, the LOO stated that the response for SONA is done by the Leader of Government Business, being the Vice President or any Minister acting in that capacity.
He argued that this is despite the fact that the President wields enormous powers; he has executive powers and can decide alone, prorogues Parliament or decides when its session can start and end and can dissolve it at any time for any reason.
All this, he said points to a crooked system that undermines and degrades Parliament.
“The system promotes disrespect of Parliament and non-accountability by the President. The special 'State Chair,' placed permanently in the Chamber, must be abolished in Parliament Standing Orders.
“It has over the years become a symbol of domination or subjugation of Parliament by the President or the executive. The President should be purely primus inter pares among us his parliamentary colleagues, not some political
leviathan of the House the system has created,” Keorapetse said in the letter seeking to amend Parliament Standing Orders.
He argued that the US President addresses Congress especially on his presentation of the State of the Union address and on other key addresses, like asking it to declare a state of war, while standing.
According to LOO, this also applies to the British Prime Minister and South African President, as well as most Heads of State and Government.
He pointed out that in the UK, the Prime Minister does not have any special chair, even in the South African Parliament, there is no specially manufactured chair for the President.
He said the President in South Africa answers questions and responds to deliberations in the House and this also applies to the UK Prime Minister and many Heads of State and Governments elsewhere.
Therefore, Keorapetse suggested the following amendments and new additions to the Standing Orders: Abolishment of the State Chair in Parliament, the President must sit on a chair provided to him as Member of Parliament Ex-Officio. The President must every Thursday or once a week on a day Parliament designates answer questions from Members of Parliament.
Keorapetse proposed that the President must after delivery of State of the Nation Address sit in Parliament to listen to deliberations from Members of Parliament.
He said the President must respond to State of the Nation Address responses by Members of Parliament for two hours and compelled to yield for at least five clarifications from each side of the aisle if any are raised.
He proposed that there should be a provision for the President to address the Assembly on emergencies or topical issues and field questions if required to do so by at least 21 Members of Parliament.
The changes, he said should not wait for amendments of the Standing Orders unless they come early and can be suggested amendments.
According to Keorapetse, there is a tradition by the President to address Parliament seated on a chair referred to as 'State Chair' in the Standing Orders.
He said the President after his delivery of the State of the Nation Address leaves the House and seldom returns to hear Members of Parliament debate his speech and never responds to their deliberations.
Keorapetse wants Parliament to amend its Standing Orders to address this ‘anomaly’.
In a letter written to the Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, the LOO stated that the response for SONA is done by the Leader of Government Business, being the Vice President or any Minister acting in that capacity.
He argued that this is despite the fact that the President wields enormous powers; he has executive powers and can decide alone, prorogues Parliament or decides when its session can start and end and can dissolve it at any time for any reason.
All this, he said points to a crooked system that undermines and degrades Parliament.
“The system promotes disrespect of Parliament and non-accountability by the President. The special 'State Chair,' placed permanently in the Chamber, must be abolished in Parliament Standing Orders.
“It has over the years become a symbol of domination or subjugation of Parliament by the President or the executive. The President should be purely primus inter pares among us his parliamentary colleagues, not some political
leviathan of the House the system has created,” Keorapetse said in the letter seeking to amend Parliament Standing Orders.
He argued that the US President addresses Congress especially on his presentation of the State of the Union address and on other key addresses, like asking it to declare a state of war, while standing.
According to LOO, this also applies to the British Prime Minister and South African President, as well as most Heads of State and Government.
He pointed out that in the UK, the Prime Minister does not have any special chair, even in the South African Parliament, there is no specially manufactured chair for the President.
He said the President in South Africa answers questions and responds to deliberations in the House and this also applies to the UK Prime Minister and many Heads of State and Governments elsewhere.
Therefore, Keorapetse suggested the following amendments and new additions to the Standing Orders: Abolishment of the State Chair in Parliament, the President must sit on a chair provided to him as Member of Parliament Ex-Officio. The President must every Thursday or once a week on a day Parliament designates answer questions from Members of Parliament.
Keorapetse proposed that the President must after delivery of State of the Nation Address sit in Parliament to listen to deliberations from Members of Parliament.
He said the President must respond to State of the Nation Address responses by Members of Parliament for two hours and compelled to yield for at least five clarifications from each side of the aisle if any are raised.
He proposed that there should be a provision for the President to address the Assembly on emergencies or topical issues and field questions if required to do so by at least 21 Members of Parliament.
The changes, he said should not wait for amendments of the Standing Orders unless they come early and can be suggested amendments.
