African leaders to meet in SA to tackle governance challenges
Proactive Parliaments and Sustainable Development: An Imperative for Political Stability in Africa.
Black News 
South Africa is set to take centre stage in shaping Africa’s democratic future as it hosts the 19th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth Africa Region from Monday until Saturday.
Speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Morakane Mosupyoe, says the high-level gathering marks a historic moment for the country, bringing together parliamentary leaders from across the continent to tackle pressing issues of governance, sustainable development, and political stability.
Hosted jointly by Parliament and the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, the conference will convene under the theme: “Proactive Parliaments and Sustainable Development: An Imperative for Political Stability in Africa.”
Mosupyoe says, “This is a sub‑national legislature. It is a historic moment, Chairperson. It has never happened before that a branch at our level is allowed. After many meetings, graciously, chaired by the Secretary and with the Chairperson’s involvement, we were granted the opportunity to host this, in conjunction with the NCOP, because the matter is embedded in our constitution and we must respect that.”
Addressing concerns around illegal immigration, National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Chairperson Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane detailed the measures organisers have put in place to manage the issue.
“We do have a role. We’ve heard what the executive is planning to do, and as we do our work as concerned citizens of South Africa, representing the people of South Africa, we’ll have to make sure those strategies are being implemented and assess what impact they have had on the challenges we face, and whether they are workable. If there are gaps, how best can we close or bridge those gaps so that, in the end, we live in harmony as SADC and African regions,” she says.
