Public Works Committee excludes opposition as Nkandla upgrades remain in question
9 May 2017
Today, opposition parties walked out of the Portfolio Committee meeting on Public Works after members of the opposition were completely excluded from last week’s key meeting about the Department of Public Works’ (DPW) Annual Performance Plans and Budget for the 2017/2018 financial year.
Last week, only ANC members of the committee were notified to attend a meeting to deliberate the DPW’s budget and Annual Performance Plan. The meeting proceeded with only ANC members present, and members of opposition political parties were excluded. This is highly suspicious at a time when the Department is reported to be soon undertaking new upgrades and improvements to President Jacob Zuma’s private homestead at Nkandla, yet again at public expense.
Today, at a scheduled meeting of the committee, members were asked to adopt final versions of the Annual Performance Plans and Budget report, considered at the previous “ANC-only” meeting, meaning that all other parties had been cut out of considering the original drafts of the Department of Public Works’ 2017/18 budget and performance plan. This is a fundamental assault on our multi-party democracy.
Opposition members, therefore, refused to adopt the budget, considering that it had not undergone the proper channels of debate and deliberation – and walked out of the meeting.