WHAT IS PARLIAMENT?

OUTA (Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse) is a civil society organisation committed to defending democracy and the rights of South African citizens. Through investigation, advocacy, litigation, and public education, OUTA exposes corruption, holds government officials accountable, and ensures that state institutions act in the best interest of the people. As part of their mandate to drive civic participation, OUTA partnered with Iron Heart to create an animated content video that demystifies the role of Parliament in our democracy.

While parliamentary processes may seem dry or inaccessible to many South Africans, they are essential to ensuring accountability and good governance. Our goal was to take a topic often perceived as “boring” and bring it to life in a way that was engaging, understandable, and even entertaining. We used vibrant animation and a playful voiceover to explain how Parliament works, what Members of Parliament (MPs) actually do, and why their oversight role is so crucial for our democracy, good governance and accountability.

The video encourages everyday South Africans to take action. We provided a call to action to visit the People’s Assembly website — a useful platform where citizens can find out who their local MPs are, what issues they’re debating, and even send direct messages. We wanted to show that political participation isn’t just for election day — it’s something we can and should be doing year-round.

Importantly, the content addresses a growing trend in public perception: that Parliament is little more than a chaotic theatre, often dominated by shouting matches and media spectacle. Our video challenged that narrative by highlighting the constitutional role Parliament plays in keeping the resident and his cabinet ministers in check. MPs are our representatives, tasked with asking hard questions, reviewing government spending, and challenging the executive when needed.

Through this campaign, we reminded South Africans that democracy is not a spectator sport. It requires active citizenry. Whether it’s voting, writing to your MP, or simply understanding how government works, every action matters. The film is a call to reclaim Parliament as a place of accountability, transparency, and representation.

It’s not just a stage. It’s not just a meme. It’s ours. And they work for us Sien djy?

See other work we did for OUTA here.