THE ANC IS MAKING A MOCKERY OF PARLIAMENT
Introduction
Last month, the ANC accused the DA of “making a mockery of parliament”. This came after Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana recommended that parliamentary action be taken against DA MP Mike Waters, and the DA’s subsequent refusal to do so.
Mushwana was of the opinion that a complaint made by Waters - that President Thabo Mbeki had abused his office by demanding that Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang be prioritsed on an organ-transplant list and that her alleged alcoholism be concealed - was without foundation or substance and that Waters had acted unconstitutionally, in a manner unbecoming of an MP, and had abused the Office of the Public Protector for political gain.
In response, the DA accused Mushwana of acting with a political agenda that of – attacking DA – rather than pursuing his mandate. After all, the DA had long since withdrawn its request for an investigation (following a meeting with Mbeki) and, given Mushwana’s dubious track record on investigating all things ANC, his decision seemed to fit a rather partisan pattern of his. Nevertheless, the merits of his decision aside, it is worth responding to the ANC, whose hypocrisy in accusing the DA of abusing Parliament is as spectacular as it is hypocritical.
A fuller version of the ANC’s reaction is as follows:
“Waters made the allegations merely to attain cheap political mileage. The ANC caucus has, on numerous occasions, raised serious concerns regarding the quality of the DA's opposition politics, particularly the conduct and unsavoury tactics employed by its leaders in their pursuit of narrow political point-scoring. The DA's failure to act against its MPs and to publicly support Waters makes a mockery of Parliament and the role of the leading opposition within the institution. It hoped that the Speaker would act expeditiously in the matter.”
As the old adage has it, those in glass houses should not throw stones. Let’s look at the ANC’s track record in Parliament over the last twelve months or so.
Travelgate
Last March, National Assembly (NA) Speaker Baleka Mbete called out the names of
a group of travelgate MPs from the ANC and PIM during a sitting of the National Assembly, requiring them to stand while she berated them for bringing the House and their colleagues into disrepute.
While the Speakers admonishment was welcomed by the DA it was long overdue. Despite being found guilty of defrauding Parliament, the ANC chose to retain those implicated members some of them even remaining as Whips; in other words, leaders responsible for instilling discipline amongst the ANC’s caucus. There are numerous others whose names have been protected by the ANC and who have therefore escaped punishment.
The new parliamentary precinct
In October last year, after a great deal of pressure from the DA, the ANC revealed its plans for the construction of its Parliamentary Precinct Space Utilisation Project (PPSUP). Up to then this project had been shrouded in secrecy despite repeated attempts from the DA to obtain information through structures such as the Parliamentary Oversight Authority (POA).
(Notably, the POA was created to ensure an appropriate system of governance is put in place by which Parliament is managed and controlled and its strategies and policies are supported and promoted to ensure an effective and efficient Parliament. Yet the ANC Members more often than not blocks any attempts at oversight over Parliament by other parties)
Basically, the project entails spending nearly R1.5 billion on a new precinct that seems to cater mostly for extravagant offices and banquet halls to be used primarily by the executive and the presiding officers. One can only question what affect this unjustifiable and lavish expenditure has on the public’s perception of Parliament’s credibility when so many public hospitals and schools are in need of serious upg
| Posted on 31/3/2008
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