Local stakeholders from Paarl had the opportunity to interact with the Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP) last week during a session of the Thetha Nathi programme. The session took place at the Town Hall in Paarl.
Thetha Nathi, which means “speak to us”, is a public engagement programme that was established by the WCPP a few years ago. Masizole Mnqasela, Speaker of the WCPP, delivered the keynote address at the event last Wednesday (20 July). He said when he was appointed in 2019 in the current position that he holds he noticed that there wasn’t any bridging platform of communication between the provincial legislature and communities across the Western Cape. Through this observation he decided to create the Thetha Nathi programme to become that platform.
“The main objective of Thetha Nathi is to create an opportunity for communities to meet the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, to meet the Members of Parliament who represent them, to get to understand what is the real job of parliament, what is the role of the provincial parliament, but also what it means for them. How they interface with the provincial parliament in order to raise the issues that concern them and their communities. How can they express their anger using a pen and paper, instead of a matchbox and petrol. Because in that way [through pen and paper] you are able to be angry – people are allowed to be angry – but you must do so responsibly in order to achieve something out of your anger. And that achievement should be done orderly.”
Due to the fact that Parliament is far from many communities, Mnqasela wanted to take it to the people. By doing this those in public service can listen to communities, learn what needs to be done and then do better.
“We have been doing public education and outreach – that is what the role of Parliament has been all these years. But there hasn’t been anything where people can say “this is our programme – we own it”, and this vehicle (Thetha Nathi) creates that.”
Stakeholders across all fields, including entertainment, education and policing, attended the Thetha Nathi session. Mnqasela hopes that through this platform community members and leaders will approach the WCPP in a decent manner when they have any issues that needs to be addressed.
“We are here to help them understand how that process works with the support of the councillors from the municipality, with the support of the members of parliament who represent them in parliament, who are here now with us, and who appreciate the communities. The stakeholders that are here, are here because that is exactly what we want. We want those leaders who are responsible for leading communities here to take this message back to their communities where they lead.”
Simphiwe Baba from Mbekweni attended the session. He represents Massive Productions that does performing art, drama, poetry and puppetry.
“I am here because I was invited to this Thetha Nathi programme, so that we can hear what parliament is all about and our community. So, I am here to listen what government wants to do, especially for the youth, and also so that I can share the information with my community.”
