Cape Town – ActionSA has criticised parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) after an African National Congress candidate was elected chairperson of Parliament’s oversight committee on the presidency.
In a statement, ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont accused the Democratic Alliance of refusing to support ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip for the position, despite backing from other opposition parties.
“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,” Beaumont said.
Opposition parties had argued that the committee should not be chaired by a party in the GNU if it is to provide meaningful oversight of the presidency.
However, Beaumont said the DA chose not to support Trollip, which resulted in the ANC candidate securing the role.
“The DA… 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,” he said.
According to the vote tally, the ANC candidate received five votes, Trollip four, and the DA’s candidate two.
Rules and procedures
Beaumont also questioned the legitimacy of the result, saying the committee secretary declared the ANC candidate elected despite the candidate receiving fewer votes than the majority required.
“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,” he said.
ActionSA has indicated it will challenge the outcome and has written to the Speaker of the National Assembly to have the election declared invalid.
“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… to reconvene a third time to elect a candidate,” Beaumont said.
He added that allowing the ANC to chair the committee undermines the goal of holding the presidency accountable.
“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,” Beaumont said.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
