MECs non-reply whips up a storm

DA, Speaker in war of words over officials’ failure to reply to questions

THE DA in Bhisho wants answers from legislature speaker Noxolo Kiviet on why MECs had failed to answer 68 of its questions.

The party’s embattled chief whip Edmund van Vuuren said some of the unanswered questions were on why the department of social development had slashed the budgets of some non-government organisations.

Van Vuuren asked Kiviet to act against the MEC of Education Mandla Makupula, health’s Phumza Dyantyi, finance’s Sakhumzi Somyo, Thandiswa Marawu of public works, rural development and agrarian refo Mlibo Qoboshiyane, and Cogta’s Fikile Xasa.

“In terms of the standing rules of the legislature, replies to questions must be submitted to the secretary within 15 working days of the questions appearing on the internal question paper for the first time.

“If a question for written reply is not answered within the set timeframe, it must be transferred to an oral question paper and the relevant MEC must provide an explanation in the house for their failure to reply,” Van Vuuren said.

The department of education failed to answer 23 questions, making it the biggest culprit.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch on Thursday, Kiviet said the DA was engaged by the legislature together with other whips on how oral questions would be handled.

She said it was disingenuous for the DA to be part of the decision and thereafter turn against that decision.

“In this regard we are of the view that the conduct of the members of the Democratic Alliance was opportunistic.

“At the meeting of the whips committee the Democratic Alliance was represented by honourable Kobus Botha and therefore was part of the decision not to have questions for oral reply,” Kiviet said.

Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the speaker ruled on the matter in the last parliamentary meeting.

Social development spokesman Mzukisi Solani described the letter as an attempt to outshine the other members of the legislature.

“It’s obvious, in the race to outshine each other, which sometimes becomes the character within some opposition benches, every matter becomes a tool for being germane.

MEC Sihlwayi will await the revelation of the EC legislature speaker in order to expose this DA MPL,” Solani said.

Public works’ Mphumzi Zuzile said the department viewed the DA’s claims as “an attention-seeking ploy and cheap politicking”.

“The DA knows the process which is followed when an IQP [internal question paper] is not answered. All departmental IQPs are answered and submitted to the legislature,” Zuzile said.

Qoboshiyane’s spokesman Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha said: “There is a possibility that the author of the letter was overtaken by events owing to some issues that appear to have captured his time and attention.

“His belated interest on the matter should be confined within the existing processes.”

Finance spokesman Tobile Gowa said the DA was part of a meeting that agreed to when the questions would be answered.

“The legislature has its own procedures which if there are deviations the parties agree to those deviations the DA must respect agreements they are part of,” Gowa said. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za