DA's HYPOCRISY RE TRAVEL BENEFITS FOR RETIREMENT MPs

1 April 2014

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip is astounded by the DA's hypocrisy and flip-flopping on the report of the Parliamentary Oversight Authority (POA) regarding the post retirement travel benefits for members of parliament and provincial legislatures. The report proposes certain air travel benefits for MPs for up to 10 years after retirement.

The Sunday Times report, which contain quotes from DA MPs contradicting each other on the matter, clearly illustrates a party in a ridiculous state of confusion on the issue (see here). When it comes to playing to the gallery and scoring cheap political points, the DA never seem to mind making a mockery of itself.

In the Sunday Times report, DA parliamentary leaders Watty Watson and Sandy Kalian on one hand support the decision of the POA, while on the other hand DA MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard criticises the decision and blames it on the ANC. As if the DA circus wasn't enough, the party's Wilmot James also issued a statement criticising the decision and linking it to the ANC. The party's hypocrisy indeed knows no limits.

Contrary to some DA MPs' grandstanding on this matter, this proposal was not the brainchild of the ANC. The facts, and the minutes of the POA meeting where this proposal was entertained, will show that it was in fact the DA - through its chief whip and deputy chief whip in 2007 - that proposed to the POA that such travel benefits be extended to ordinary MPs post their retirement. Following the retirement of Douglas Gibson and Mike Ellis from Parliament, their successors Watty Watson and Sandy Killian continued to champion the proposal until its unanimous adoption by parties in the POA meeting recently.

The ANC was initially opposed to the proposal due to the additional burden it would place on the public purse. Our decision to back the proposal was made on condition that Parliament must first subject it to the National Treasury, which should conduct a comprehensive assessment of its affordability and practicality.

 It is extremely shameful that the chief sponsor of this proposal, the DA, is today publicly contradicting itself in the media in a clumsy effort to score cheap political points.

Statement issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, April 1 2014

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