Cape Town - The opposition’s criticism is important as a catalyst for public discourse, which is vital for democracy.
However, choosing when to seek consensus and when to be strictly adversarial can be tricky even for old hands at the game.
If they are to regain lost ground in the province, the ANC in the legislature is going to need to do more to portray itself as a feasible alternative provincial government.
In Part 1 we looked at how leader of the opposition Cameron Dugmore, ANC provincial health spokesperson Rachel Windvogel and ANC provincial human settlements spokesperson Andile Lili fared (How the ANC fared as opposition in the Western Cape legislature during 2021 - Part 1).
In Part 2 of our look at how the ANC fared as opposition in the Western Cape legislature, we look at how Mesuli Kama, Pat Marran, Gladys Bakubaku-Vos and Khalid Sayed fared.
ANC provincial Community Safety spokesperson Mesuli Kama
After a stellar 95 percent committee meeting attendance rate in 2020, Kama seems to have been less eager in 2021 only managing 77 percent attendance.
Nevertheless, he asks the right questions and probes the activities of the department he shadows but could sharpen his communication skills to more effect and not be shy to score against MEC Fritz.
5/10
ANC provincial Agriculture spokesperson Pat Marran
Marran has one of the best records of standing committee attendance, scoring 100 percent in 2021.
A farming rights activist at heart, he also has an endearing independent streak. This came through most recently in November, during the public hearings of the District Six land restitution issue.
He said he was a member of the ANC, but that it was important to speak truth to power when the national government was failing its people.
His caucus colleagues could learn a lot from him.
7/10
ANC provincial spokesperson on Social Development Gladys Bakubaku-Vos:
Bakubaku-Vos also scored 100 percent committee meeting attendance in 2021. She always asks well-researched questions and comes out on the side of the poor and vulnerable.
She also appears to be well-liked on both sides of the political divide in the legislature and sometimes I feel that this can be a problem as I don’t think she is hard enough on the MEC.
The time has come to do more to drop the consensus and show herself as a viable alternative.
5/10
ANC provincial spokesperson on Education Khalid Sayed:
Sayed has shown himself to be a fighter for education both within and outside the legislature, even though his attendance of committee meetings fell from 85 percent in 2020 to 69 percent in 2021.
As deputy chief whip he has become a stickler for the rules of the legislature and is quick to call out members from the other side when he thinks they have broken the rules.
However, in his enthusiasm to score tries against Education MEC Debbie Schäfer he sometimes drops the ball. Keenness is great but caution has its place.
6/10
Part 3 will be featured in Friday’s edition of the Cape Argus newspaper, and later on the Cape Argus website.
Read all of our reviews below:
- How the ANC fared as opposition in the Western Cape legislature during 2021 - Part 1
- A look at how Premier Alan Winde and his cabinet members fared in 2021 – Part 1
- A look at how Premier Alan Winde’s cabinet members fared in 2021 – Part 2
- ANC and DA exchange brickbats in reviews of each other’s 2021 performance