Quote of the week
Once the powers and functions have been assigned, the Deputy President and Ministers are responsible for the executive powers and functions assigned to them. These provisions make plain that members of the Cabinet are accountable independently and collectively to Parliament for the exercise of their powers and performance of their functions. For good measure, section 92(3) of the Constitution restates the obvious which is that, when they exercise the powers assigned to them, members of the Cabinet must act in accordance with the Constitution. This is significant because once Cabinet ministers are assigned powers and functions by the President they are not mere vassals of the President. They bear the duty and the responsibility to fulfil the duties and functions so assigned which in practice take the form of political and executive leadership of specified state departments. The Constitution makes the point that besides the duty to account to the head of the national executive, cabinet ministers bear the responsibility to report and account to Parliament on how they execute their executive duties.
Von Abo v President of the Republic of South Africa (CCT 67/08) [2009] ZACC 15; 2009 (10) BCLR 1052 (CC) ; 2009 (5) SA 345 (CC) (5 June 2009)
Discussion on appointment of new Public Protector
Appointment processes and our Chapter 9 Institutions
The Goedgedacht Forum and the Institute of Security Studies invite you to join Professor Pierre de Vos (Claude Leon Foundation Chair in Constitutional Governance, Dept. of Public Law UCT) and David Lewis (Executive Director, Corruption Watch) in a discussion facilitated by Judith February (senior research associate, ISS).
Chapter 9 institutions are an important part of our politics and have a vital role to play in the deepening of democracy. They constitute an integral part of the checks and balances needed to ensure that the different arms of government are kept in balance. Recent events have shown just how important these institutions are. In order that they are empowered to do their work, we need to continually look at not only the work that they do, but also that they are properly resourced and that their institutional structures are strengthened. Please join us to add your voice to this important discussion.
Event information
Date: 24th May 2016
Time: 9:30 am for 10:00am – 12:00pm
Venue: Spin Street, Cape Town
Please RSVP before 20th May 2016 to Felicity Harrison: felicity@gforum.co.za
