I've been moaning for some time that we're paying so much for a pile of parliamentarians who don't do much more than polish the benches with their bums. It seems Mike Ellis has much the same gripe:
On debates, he said that apart from debates on legislation and budget votes, hardly any meaningful debates took place.

"All but gone are debates proposed by parties or members - they just are not scheduled any more. Yet opposition Parties want more debates on issues that they feel are important."

"In 2008, the DA proposed 44 topics for discussion. Only one was debated.

"The ANC's 297 members in last year failed to introduce a single motion, a clear indication that they do not take this area of work very seriously."

Ellis called for Parliament to be made more relevant.
full story from IOL here
It gets worse:
Opportunities for MPs to ask good, probing questions on issues of real importance and of proper oversight were all but lost.

"A further trend has also crept in whereby some ministers do not seem to believe it is necessary to even turn up to answer questions when it is their turn."

When it came to written questions, the story was equally bleak.

"The rules stipulate that ministers should reply within 10 working days of the question being asked.

"I have to tell the House that since 2006, a staggering 498 questions have never been answered by the Executive," Ellis said.
Remind me again - why do we even have a parliament if all they are going to do is rubber stamp whatever comes their way?