The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s (GPL) presiding officers denied accountability by shielding Premier Panyaza Lesufi and his executive from answering the Democratic Alliance’s questions on service delivery issues. During yesterday’s sitting, presiding officers disallowed questions related to e-tolls, lifestyle audits, economic development, and gender-based violence. This is undermining democracy. This is the first time in 31 years that accountability has been shut down this way.
The residents of this province expect their government to be held to account. Questions in the GPL are an essential tool to hold the provincial government to account with regards to its responsibilities to the residents of Gauteng. These are vital to ensure the Premier and MECs answer for their failure to deliver services for the benefit of the people. Gauteng residents have a right to know what their government is doing, good or bad. In a shocking performance, particularly by Deputy Speaker Nomvuyo Manamela, accountability was sacrificed to shield the Premier and ensure that his record is only seen in a positive light.
The presiding officers misused the standing rules that give them discretion to either allow or disallow follow-up questions. They used their discretion in an arbitrary manner rather than on a rational basis that enables the proper functioning of the legislature. The argument that there was a limited time for questions is contradicted by the precedent which has been set over many years in previous sittings where question time has exceeded a restrictive time limit. Allowing enough time for questions safeguards our duty to hold the executive accountable and to examine the performance of service delivery performance. Yesterday, this was not the case. Why? Was it because ANC members were too lazy and looked forward to going home early? We had all day to serve the people of Gauteng. The presiding officers were happy to throw away our duty for accountability to protect the Premier and his MECs.
The DA will not be bullied into silence. The rulings of the presiding officers have been referred to the relevant committee at the GPL. We are also engaging with the party’s lawyers. We will not rest until proper oversight and accountability return to the workings of the GPL. A DA-led GPL would guarantee that those in executive office would be held under vigilant scrutiny so that they would provide essential services to the people who elected them.