Denial of access may be appealed
DA refused access to cabinet record on North West decision
THE DA in North West is considering appealing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to deny it access to the minutes of a cabinet meeting that resolved to put several provincial government departments under administration.
The official opposition’s move came after the Presidency told them that their request, filed through the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), had not been successful.
Lusanda Mxenge, a deputy information officer in the Office of the Presidency, told the DA that provisions of section 12 of PAIA did not apply to a record of the cabinet and its committee.
“I considered the request and decided to refuse access to the record. You have the right to appeal against the refusal for access in terms of section 74 of PAIA in the prescribed period,” Mxenge wrote.
DA North West leader Joe Mcgluwa said they would appeal Ramaphosa’s decision to deny them access to the inter-ministerial task team (IMTT) report into the state of governance in the province.
“It is shocking how the ANC denies communities the right to know how the problems within North West will be fixed. The report is in the public’s interest as it has a direct impact on their daily lives,” he said.
“It is important that our communities have access to all the findings by the IMTT,” he added.
Mcgluwa said the decision by the Presidency to keep the IMTT report under wraps was in “contradiction with the democratic principles of accountability and transparency”, and added that the task team had failed to restore order and stability in the troubled province.
“As we have long said, the IMTT, along with the section 100 intervention, are a smokescreen used to cover up the fact that President Ramaphosa clearly has no political will to deal with the deep-rooted problems here, and he clearly does not want to act against (former premier) Supra Mahumapelo and his cadres,” Mcgluwa said.
He said the people of North West had been caught in the middle of an ANC factional battle, and that service delivery was a casualty.
“The fact that North West is still without a premier shows that Ramaphosa lacks the political backing and will to put the people of the province first.”
Presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko said the DA’s claims were “yet another attempt at relevance” by the party. “We want to reiterate that the cabinet documents are classified, and are not covered by PAIA.
“The fact that several departments were placed under administration was indicative of a political will to assist in the challenges facing North West. Already, technical teams are working to turn around the situation in the province,” Diko said.
North West ANC spokesperson Gerald Modise was not available for comment.
Last week, North West Legislature speaker Sussana Dantjie postponed indefinitely a meeting to elect a new premier, and this week the ANC confirmed that Mahumapelo would remain a member of the provincial legislature.