Yesterday the newly established parliamentary oversight committee on the presidency met for the second time to elect its chairperson.
The establishment of this committee is the product of a long fight for parliamentary oversight over a burgeoning presidency that has operated without it for the duration of our young democracy.
Opposition parties united behind ActionSA Parliamentary Leader, and veteran of parliament, Athol Trollip supporting the rationale that the committee on the presidency should not be chaired by a party in the GNU if there is going to be real accountability.
The DA, notwithstanding their significant role in fighting for the establishment of this committee, opted to refuse to support Athol Trollip’s candidature, supported by all other opposition parties, favouring its petty feud over what was right for the country. As a direct consequence, the ANC candidate was elected to provide oversight over the ANC’s President despite the knowledge of the ANC’s pathetic history in holding its Presidents to account.
To demonstrate the depths of the DA’s pettiness, its Chief Whip, George Michalakis, offered to support the candidate from the opposition party UAT rather than Trollip because his instructions clearly were anyone but ActionSA despite Trollip being the most experienced member of that committee. ActionSA was willing to support another candidate but the other opposition parties rejected the efforts of the DA, as a party in the GNU to hand select which party should chair the committee having oversight over the presidency.
The results of the vote are provided below:
Results of the Vote for the Chairmanship of the Oversight Committee on the Presidency
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Astonishingly, the Secretary of the Committee declared the ANC candidate elected, against the rules and procedures of the National Assembly despite gaining only 5 of the 11 votes of the committee – less than then a majority prescribed in the rules.
Despite this clear irregularity, the DA and ANC support the irregular election result because they form part of the GNU that aligns around protecting the President from accountability in exchange for their luxuries and perks of international travel and blue lights brigades.
ActionSA will issue a letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly to seek that the election is declared invalid and to force the committee, embarrassingly, to reconvene a third time to elect a candidate.
It is equally pathetic that parties in the GNU will rally to ensure this new hard-won committee is chaired by ‘one of their own’ as it is pathetic that the DA would prioritise its petty feud with ActionSA over the importance of accountability.
After taking one step forward in the establishment of this committee, the DA has taken us one step backwards again because this committee chaired by the ANC will have zero prospect of real accountability. Fortunately, ActionSA’s legal challenge to the Speaker will likely declare the result invalid and give the DA the chance to do the right thing, for the third time.
ANC Wins and SA Loses as GNU Fight One Another Over the Committee on the Presidency
Yesterday the newly established parliamentary oversight committee on the presidency met for the second time to elect its chairperson.
The establishment of this committee is the product of a long fight for parliamentary oversight over a burgeoning presidency that has operated without it for the duration of our young democracy.
Opposition parties united behind ActionSA Parliamentary Leader, and veteran of parliament, Athol Trollip supporting the rationale that the committee on the presidency should not be chaired by a party in the GNU if there is going to be real accountability.
The DA, notwithstanding their significant role in fighting for the establishment of this committee, opted to refuse to support Athol Trollip’s candidature, supported by all other opposition parties, favouring its petty feud over what was right for the country. As a direct consequence, the ANC candidate was elected to provide oversight over the ANC’s President despite the knowledge of the ANC’s pathetic history in holding its Presidents to account.
To demonstrate the depths of the DA’s pettiness, its Chief Whip, George Michalakis, offered to support the candidate from the opposition party UAT rather than Trollip because his instructions clearly were anyone but ActionSA despite Trollip being the most experienced member of that committee. ActionSA was willing to support another candidate but the other opposition parties rejected the efforts of the DA, as a party in the GNU to hand select which party should chair the committee having oversight over the presidency.
The results of the vote are provided below:
Results of the Vote for the Chairmanship of the Oversight Committee on the Presidency
Doris Mpapane (ANC)
5
Athol Trollip (ActionSA)
4
Baxolile Nodada (DA)
2
Astonishingly, the Secretary of the Committee declared the ANC candidate elected, against the rules and procedures of the National Assembly despite gaining only 5 of the 11 votes of the committee – less than then a majority prescribed in the rules.
Despite this clear irregularity, the DA and ANC support the irregular election result because they form part of the GNU that aligns around protecting the President from accountability in exchange for their luxuries and perks of international travel and blue lights brigades.
ActionSA will issue a letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly to seek that the election is declared invalid and to force the committee, embarrassingly, to reconvene a third time to elect a candidate.
It is equally pathetic that parties in the GNU will rally to ensure this new hard-won committee is chaired by ‘one of their own’ as it is pathetic that the DA would prioritise its petty feud with ActionSA over the importance of accountability.
After taking one step forward in the establishment of this committee, the DA has taken us one step backwards again because this committee chaired by the ANC will have zero prospect of real accountability. Fortunately, ActionSA’s legal challenge to the Speaker will likely declare the result invalid and give the DA the chance to do the right thing, for the third time.