Pull the other one, Mabuza tells DA

It was business as usual in parliament yesterday, meaning it soon descended into chaos when Deputy President David Mabuza refused to answer a question from DA MP David Maynier during his mandatory question and answer session.

“The independence and technical strength of the SA Reserve Bank has been and was critical to sustaining Moody’s investment grade rating of South Africa,” said Maynier. “So will the deputy president tell us whether he supports proposals to review the mandate of, and nationalise, the South African Reserve Bank.

“Because he must realise if he does support those proposals they will shatter confidence and make a downgrade to junk status more likely in SA.”

Mabuza said Maynier was trying his luck with a new question but noted at no stage had Moody’s reflected on the Reserve Bank. Questions are usually submitted beforehand in writing, to allow the respondent to prepare a cogent answer.

Mabuza said: “I’m not going to comment on the Reserve Bank, unfortunately.”

And that’s when the fight started. “Points of order” and “madam speakers” soon flooded the air after Maynier demanded an answer.

Speaker Baleka Mbete’s ruling was that the question, and perceived refusal to answer, was that the “concern be pursued outside this session.”