Parliament's position as a "people's parliament" and its role in overseeing government are being eroded, says Gavin Woods, former chairman of the watchdog public accounts committee (Scopa).

Addressing the Cape Town Press Club yesterday, he said if this was not corrected soon, it would "surely have detrimental consequences for our fledgling democracy".

Woods resigned as chair of the committee a few weeks ago. He cited political interference in the committee's work.

He said parliament was being suppressed and thereby the critical role the Constitution ascribed to it.

As a result, parliament's performance had become "appallingly deficient" when viewed against that section of the Constitution that instructed the national assembly "to represent the people and to ensure government by the people."

"It goes on to say that this must be done, among other things, ‘by overseeing executive action', " Woods said.

"This is directly linked to the Constitutions's separation of powers between the arms of government."

The leadership of the majority party - the African National Congress - mostly through its participation in the executive arm of government, "has purposefully tried to dictate to and muscle in on the business of the parliamentary arm".

"The executive has become increasingly authoritarian in approach and insists on getting its way with new legislation or policy or when resisting scrutiny and oversight.

"The record shows - what the executive wants from parliament it gets.

"Good government, democracy and even our liberty depends on maintaining the institutionalised separation of powers that the Constitution prescribes. The struggle should always be for parliament to retain its effective and separate authority in the face of an executive that has superior organisation, resources and influence."

With acknowledgements to Sapa and Cape Argus.