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The five day visit by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to De Aar in the Northern Cape raises serious questions regarding the objectives and deliverables of the “Parliament to the People” program. The platform were by people are transported from all over the Pixley ka Seme region of the Northern Cape to interact on issues of service delivery and government activities has become an exorbitant, costly government program that is nothing more than a complaint forum. It is further an ANC manipulated program covering up on the inability of government to deliver services to the citizens of the region.

The majority of participants complained about bad service delivery at local government level, poor education and no support from government in terms of land restitution and agricultural programs, lack of health facilities and the lack of water and infra-structure. The responses from the majority of panellists, including ministers, MEC’S and councillors were nothing more than feeble that certainly will not resolve, nor address the numerous challenges facing these impoverished and marginalised communities. Many of the complaints are directed to the in-effectiveness of government institutions. Given the horrific state of affairs at municipalities because of weak and inefficient councillors and officials, it is prevalent that local authorities are imploding. That has a dire impact on the social-fibre of the communities that lead to a drastic increase in drug and alcohol abuse.

Taking the involvement of all the spheres of government into account, the cost of hosting the event is estimated close to R 20 million. The excessive program and budget can certainly not be justified, given the current financial difficulties and budgetary constraints in all spheres of government.

Kennett Sinclair, the Congress of the People’s permanent delegate representing the Northern Cape in the NCOP, questions what the impact of this event will have on this region. Sinclair suspects that “Once the dust has settled and all the luxury cars and planes have departed, it will be business as usual for the ordinary people of Pixley ka Seme region in the Northern Cape”.