National Assembly turns down Steenhuisen’s oversight request

DEPUTY Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli has turned down a request from the DA for the National Assembly to establish an ad hoc committee to play oversight over the Cabinet and state organs during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Tsenoli said yesterday existing portfolio committees had the necessary powers to deal with the matters raised in DA interim leader John Steenhuisen’s correspondence.

“Individual MPs and political parties also have a role to play at this crucial time and should continue with their individual oversight work in their constituencies and in the communities where they live,” he said.

Tsenoli was responding to a letter from Steenhuisen requesting National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise to use one of the parliamentary rules to establish such an ad hoc committee.

Tsenoli said Parliament was using information and communication technologies (ICT) for parliamentary committees and members to effectively continue to engage in their oversight and monitoring role.

“In this regard, the House chairperson for committees continues to engage with committee chairpersons to ensure that committees remain engaged in their oversight work.”

Parliamentary spokesperson

Moloto Mothapo said parliaments over the world were grappling with the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on their constitutional obligations.

Mothapo said social distancing and subsequent national lockdown periods coincided with the constituency period when MPs, who are essential workers, were required to work within their communities across the country.

“The responsibility to conduct oversight is, therefore, not limited to committee meetings.”

Mothapo also said Parliament was exploring effective means for conducting virtual parliamentary work, in case the need for social distancing in the country continues for a longer period. Steenhuisen, however, said Tsenoli’s response to his letter demonstrated a gravely worrying suppression of oversight and the gagging of Parliament during the Covid-19 lockdown.

He said Tsenoli failed to realise the declaration of national disaster and the subsequent lockdown had led to the National Command Council which created a unique scenario where the government implemented out of the ordinary programmes and could not be effectively held to account by existing parliamentary committees.

“In its oversight role, Parliament is supposed to mirror government in order to exercise oversight comprehensively,” Steenhuisen said.