Abstract:
A provincial legislature is often judged by the manner in which it carries out
its Constitutional mandates of law making, oversight and scrutiny, facilitation
of public participation and cooperative governance. The mandates call on the
legislature to work towards effectively ensuring that the government meets
the needs of South Africans citizens through meaningful service delivery. The
Research Services Unit plays a pivotal role in this regard. However, the current
status of the research services unit of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature suggests
that the legislature does not receive maximum research benefits from the
Unit. This article argues that having a large contingency of individuals does not
necessarily translate into an efficient research unit or the production of reliable and
credible research output. The findings of this article suggest that, in order to be able
to deliver on its mandates, the Gauteng Provincial Legislature needs a rejuvenated
Research Services Unit that could lead in transforming the legislature into a vibrant
people-centred law making and oversight organisation, thereby contributing
towards an accelerated improvement of the lives of the people of Gauteng.
