Parliament back to square one
THE PEACE deal struck by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa between the government and opposition parties lay in tatters yesterday after the DA tabled a motion of censure against President Jacob Zuma for failing to answer questions in Parliament.
It was back to the business of filibustering in the National Assembly, with Ramaphosa saying that what was agreed with the opposition the day before “lay in tatters”.
Ramaphosa had earlier in the day answered questions in the National Assembly, but warned that filibustering and a demand by the opposition for Zuma to come to Parliament to answer questions killed the spirit and letter of the agreement on Tuesday.
The deputy president said members of the executive, including Zuma, had a duty to account to Parliament, but could do so only if the climate allowed it.
He said he was afraid that the DA’s tabling of a motion of censure against Zuma would destroy what they had agreed to earlier in the week.
DA chief whip John Steenhuisen said the call for Zuma to come to Parliament was part of the rules of the National Assembly.
Earlier in the week, all opposition parties met Ramaphosa at Tuynhuys, where it was agreed that a committee of parliamentary leaders would meet next week to iron out differences regarding the running of Parliament.