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Plans for new look Eastern Cape Legislature
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Premier's Office

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MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 5 MARCH 2001

PLANS FOR NEW LOOK EASTERN CAPE LEGISLATURE

By Patrick Cull

PORT ELIZABETH -- The future existence and form of the Bisho Legislature could undergo a dramatic transformation before the next provincial 
election in 2004.

Eastern Cape Premier Makhenkesi Stofile said the issue of the future of the legislature was raised at a summit of the Tripartite Alliance 
in January and it would now come under the spotlight at the provincial conference at the end of June.

"Let us see what happens in discussions there and try to put it on the agenda for the national conference in 2002. If we are in agreement 
at the 2002 conference, then the legislature of 2004 will be different."

Stofile said he did not believe it was honest to have a provincial legislature "purporting to be a provincial replica of the National 
Assembly," adding that the bulk of the laws were passed in Cape Town and applied to South Africa as a whole and that there was little 
provincial legislatures could do in terms of law making.

Further, he pointed out, ordinances were dealt with at the level of local government.

The premier said he believed the transformation of the legislature would be faster and would precede that of the provincial government, 
noting that he raised the issue in 1999 of whether it was not time to ask who should be a member of the provincial legislature.

"Perhaps it should be like the National Assembly 50 percent directly elected and 50 percent direct representatives of local government 
meeting on a very part-time basis."

With regard to the provincial government, the premier said the debate on the future of this sphere of government would get under way in 
earnest after the 2004 election.

"We do need to look at the kind of structures that we have because the structures that exist now were the product of (multi-party 
negotiations) at Kempton Park where they were negotiated and clearly it is a hybrid kind of government."

Stofile pointed out the nature of governmental structures would always be dictated by the nature of the country and that if, for example, 
the system was highly centralised "you may kill many parts of the country simply because a national minister will not be as sharply attuned 
to the local needs as a mayor".

He said he had raised this issue at the summit in January, adding that there was a need to "consciously get into a debate on the type of 
government that we want in this country".

"The current one is not sustainable, and it is going to cause a lot of problems -- resource problems and a number of 'trampling on toes' 
problems".

The premier said he did not believe the provinces would disappear before 2004.

"I think that the period between now and 2004 will see the focus on the strengthening of the local municipalities that we have established.

"The capacity of the councillors to run and manage the municipalities must be developed.

"Between now and 2004 we shall be in that mode, making sure that councils are visible and efficient.

"After 2004, I have no doubt that the ANC at least will go into a serious debate on changing this form of government.

"I will not be surprised if at the 2007 national conference this will be one of the key areas of focus -- a new form of government."

* The full interview with the premier can be found in today's Eastern Cape Budget supplement.

Source: Daily Dispatch Online

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