ANC IN NCOP DID NOT SUPPORT DA MOTION

30 August 2012

The Democratic Alliance's claim that the ANC in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has endorsed its motion calling on government to hold back on a loan to the government of Swaziland is a shameless lie and a deliberate distortion of the facts. Neither the ANC nor the NCOP have expressed support for DA MP Alf Lees' motion. Either Lees, in whose name the DA statement is issued, is clueless about the functioning of the NCOP in relation to the party motions or is just plain naïve.

Members' motions in the NCOP are equivalent to political party statements. They represent views of political parties and do not need to be endorsed by other parties or accepted as resolutions of the House. It is nothing short of a brazen delusion for one to believe that a Member's motion automatically enjoys the support of the majority party and qualifies as a resolution of the House as soon as it is presented. To even issue a public statement on behalf of the party claiming so is astounding and disingenuous.

Our position with regard to the loan to Swaziland remains unchanged. The bailout is based on conditions that the government of Swaziland undertakes reform measures guided by the Joint Bilateral Commissions for Cooperation (JBBC) agreement.

Statement issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, August 30 2012

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