The Gauteng Provincial Legislature led by the Speaker of the Legislature, will be hosting the 19th Conference of the Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth, Africa Region.

The Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) Africa Region is a forum of 63 African nation and sub-national legislature heads under the auspices of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). It aims to foster impartiality, fairness, and the development of parliamentary institutions among Commonwealth nations. The most recent edition (the 18th CSPOC) was held from 13-22 July 2023 in Yaounde, Cameroon.

This year’s conference to be hosted in Gauteng coincides with the National Celebrations of the Historic June 16 which will mark the 50-year anniversary of this monumental victory by the students in South Africa. It is a national public holiday honouring the youth of 1976 who protested apartheid education in Soweto. It commemorates the Soweto Uprising, where students marched against compulsory Afrikaans instruction, leading to a turning point in the liberation struggle.

Key Aspects of June 16 Celebrations:

– Commemoration: The day serves as a reminder of the sacrifice of students, notablyHector Pieterson, who lost their lives to apartheid police brutality.

– Youth Month: The entire month of June is recognized as Youth Month, focusing onrecognizing the role young people play in shaping democratic South Africa.

– Events and Activities: Celebrations include official government speeches, community rallies, school performances, and educational workshops focusing on youth development, social justice, and career opportunities.

– Themes: Events often highlight themes of advancing socioeconomic gains for youth, supporting education, and combating issues like drugs.

– Reflection: It is a time for youth to reflect on their freedom and the ongoing fight for equality.

Such Celebrations are held nationwide to encourage the modern generation to continue the legacy of the 1976 activists by actively participating in the country’s development.

Furthermore, The Conference also serves to promote knowledge and understanding of parliamentary democracy and building stronger democratic parliaments. It also provides a platform for the legislatures to share best practices, pursue continental interests, and collaborate in the development of the peoples of Africa. Its membership is open to Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Legislatures. Participation is also extended to Members of the Legislatures in observer capacity.

Hosting of CSPOC rotates voluntarily among member parliaments. The Gauteng Legislature will host the 19th CSPOC under the theme “Proactive Parliaments and Sustainable Development: An Imperative for Political Stability in Africa”. The hosting of the 19th CSPOC by GPL represents a landmark development as it will be the first time a sub-national parliament hosts the Conference. The previous eighteen editions were hosted exclusively by national parliaments across the Commonwealth.

The overarching body CPA was founded in 1911 and was referred to as the Empire Parliamentary Association (EPA) before it was renamed in 1949. It is established by the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with the purpose of promoting knowledge of the constitutional, legislative, economic, social and cultural aspects of parliamentary democracy, with particular reference to the countries of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The founding purpose was aimed at contributing to the fulfilment of the mission of the CPA which is to: “Promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance and by building an informed parliamentary community able to deepen the Commonwealth’s democratic commitment and to further co-operation among its Parliaments and Legislatures”.

In their Annual General Meeting held in 1985, the Parliamentarians of National Parliaments and Provincial / State/ Territorial legislatures of member countries of the Commonwealth on the continent of Africa, adopted the constitution which officially established the Africa Region of the Commonwealth Association.

In 1997, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) decided also on the establishment of a governance body called the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP). The CWP was given a mandate to consider effective strategies to increase women’s participation and/or representation in parliament, CPA activities and other various political institutions. This decision was based on the identified gender imbalances which existed in the decision-making levels of parliament and the CPA.

In closing, the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) Africa Region, is a forum of 63 African nation and sub-national legislature heads under the auspices of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)

The benefits of the CSPOC to the South African Legislative Sector entail amongst others the

following:

• It will provide an opportunity for Gauteng Provincial Legislature in collaboration with other Legislatures in South Africa, to harness the collective wisdom and effort of the South African Legislative Sector to demonstrate their organising ability.

• It presents an opportunity for Gauteng to showcase her hospitality and cultural heritage.

• It also provides an opportunity for the Legislative Sector to collaborate, share experiences and skills;

• It will provide the opportunity to continue to put South Africa (SA) on the map amongst the nations of the world that South Africa is a country able to organise international event of any nature;

• The hosting of such events creates window of opportunity for countries in the region to want to invest in the Province and the Country as whole (cementing the baseline for MoUs);

It will serve as the foundation for the hosting of the major Conference of the CPA International that will be hosted by the Parliament RSA in Cape Town in September 2026