GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Residents of Dr Beyers Naudé Municipality can rest assured that, although newly-elected Member of Parliament Samantha Graham-Maré is no longer a local councillor, she is still actively concerned with local affairs.

During a recent constituency break, she worked with local councillors and activists before the start of the next parliamentary term on 20 August.

Graham-Maré has already made her mark in her first few months in office and has been assigned to the Portfolio Committee of Public Works and Infrastructure. Debates on the budgets of every department took place over two weeks in Parliament, and Graham-Maré had her first opportunity to address Parliament on this matter on 10 July. 

"It went very well, despite my extreme nervousness," she said.

Also within this term was Questions to the Deputy President on 25 July. The Deputy President is provided with six questions from various parties. 

Graham-Maré was one of the few on the Speaker's list, and suggested that the "Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is nothing more than a social security programme, despite it being used as a measure for government's ability to create work opportunities. Nowhere is this more evident than in the fact that EPWP participants are paid 55% of the minimum wage."

Graham-Maré admitted that this was nearly as terrifying as her budget speech, but that it was an honour. 

"There are many MPs who have been in Parliament for years who have never had the opportunity to ask the President or Deputy President a question."

She has settled into her house in Acacia Park, one of the Parliamentary Villages, located in Goodwood.

Although only 16km from Parliament, with the heavy Cape Town traffic, it usually takes close to an hour to get to work in the morning.

This is somewhat of a change after Graaff-Reinet!

For recreation, Graham-Maré has joined the Parliamentary Squash Club.

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