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In a well-functioning democracy, where politicians are elected to represent the people of the country and act as their voice, public participation is a critical and essential good governance tool that fosters accountability, transparency, and public oversight. This gives people the chance to meaningfully participate in decisions that affect their lives.
In South Africa, as in other countries, this means our Parliament is accountable to the country’s people.
In the Journal of Public Administration, Sonwabo Stuurman of the Nelson Mandela University writes: “True public participation becomes a cornerstone and a significant pillar of democracy, especially in the South African context where the majority were excluded for so long. It is essential that people have a say in governance matters which affect them.”
There are various ways in which citizens can get involved with the various structures and institutions of democracy; these include voting, contacting a political representative such as a ward councillor or member of Parliament, campaigning or demonstrating around issues that concern them, taking part in political processes such as calls for comment on legislation, and following parliamentary hearings and committee meetings.
Accordingly, you are invited to take part in the Parliamentary Monitoring Group’s (PMG) survey on public participation in Parliament. The survey should be completed by Wednesday, 22 October 2025.
Find it here: PMG Public Participation Survey
The survey deals with three broad areas, says PMG:
- Background of the organisation or individual participating, area of participation, and motivation to do so.
- Your views and assessment of how Parliament performs in carrying out its function of public participation, and how accessible the process is.
- Your views on how public participation could be improved.
“This survey is intended for individuals or organisations who have engaged with Parliament,” says the organisation. “Your insights are valuable in helping us understand how effectively Parliament facilitates participation and how these processes can be improved.”
All responses will be kept strictly confidential, PMG emphasises. “Your name will not appear on the questionnaire or be linked to your answers in any way. The information you provide will be combined with responses from other participants to build an overall picture of experiences engaging with the national legislature.”
All that’s required is for respondents to answer openly and honestly – “there are no right or wrong answers.”
Enquiries may be directed to lucas@pmg.org.za.
