Pretoria - Cabinet has expressed shock and disappoint at the unruly conduct by some members of the National Assembly earlier this week.
“Such conduct goes against the ethos of our struggle for freedom and detracts from the journey we have made in our 20 Years of Freedom.
“The integrity of Parliament as a democratic institution must be protected and guarded by all members,” said Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Performance, Monitoring, Evaluation and Administration, Jeff Radebe.
Addressing the media on Thursday at a post-Cabinet briefing, Minister Radebe said the unruly behaviour erodes accountability to all South Africans and detracts from Parliament’s role to uphold the values and principles enshrined in the Constitution.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa met with all leaders of opposition parties at Tuynhuys on Tuesday morning to discuss challenges that the Parliament was faced with.
Following the meeting, he established a committee to tackle the challenges that Parliament has been faced with over the past few months.
Deputy President Ramaphosa will lead the committee, as the leader of government business, and the Democratic Alliance’s Mmusi Maimane and African National Congress’s Stone Sizani would be deputy leaders.
The committee will also include National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete and the leaders of various Portfolio Committees.
The committee will start meeting next week and will address key issues that have to do with the proper functioning of Parliament.
Deputy President Ramaphosa said all leaders of political parties who were part of the meeting agreed that it was time to restore the image and dignity of Parliament, and to ensure that it regains the respect of all members of the public.
He said all leaders yearned for a Parliament where there is decorum, where debates are conducted in a constructive manner with no disrespectful insults being thrown at anyone.
Deputy President Ramaphosa said there was also an agreement that a climate where members of the executive can appear before Parliament to account needed to be created.
The newly formed committee would also look at the rules and procedures of the National Assembly to ensure that presiding officers implement them without any favour or bias towards any political party. – SAnews.gov.za
