Today we report on the parliamentary authorities' decision to finalise all budget votes in the space of two weeks. This objectionable behaviour cannot pass without comment, because it weakens the fibre of our democracy.
We are aware that parliament must pass its budget by July 31, but this in no way excuses what has happened.
The election took place on May 7. The time since then should have been used more constructively by parliament than it has been.
Yes, training and internal committee elections had to take place, but more time should have been set aside for committees to discuss the budgets and for budgets to have been debated in extended public committees.
As it happened, as many as four budget votes were forced through simultaneously through extended public committees over the past two weeks. This must surely be unacceptable to anyone who believes that parliament should be transparent and that it must function in a considered manner.
Transparency in how the billions of rands that taxpayers fork out to government annually is spent cannot be achieved when so many budget votes are being debated simultaneously.
Members of parliament, who are expected to report back to voters on the budget, cannot hope to do so properly if they are afforded so little time to consider and understand government thinking.
Parliament is supposed to be the heartbeat of democracy. We have high expectations of it and these have not been met through such a rushed budget process.
Even those who argue that the law was followed to the letter must agree that it was not followed in spirit.
Parliament must plan better in future so that such a travesty never happens again.
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