Acting Speaker Nomaindia Mfeketo refuses snap debate on the closing of the arms deal investigation
The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes that the decision by Nomaindia Mfeketo, Acting Speaker of the National Assembly, to refuse to allow a snap debate on the closure of the arms deal investigation is a clear attempt to protect the ruling party from political fallout and smother public debate about the biggest corruption scandal in the history of South Africa.
The last two remaining legs of the arms deal investigation, which included the investigation into the German Frigate Consortium and British Aerospace, were closed by the Hawks and the NPA.
Because of this I wrote to I wrote to Max Sisulu, Speaker of the National Assembly, and requested a snap debate on the decision to close the investigation into the arms deal on 22 October 2010.
My request for a debate was lodged in terms of Rule 183 of the Rules of the National Assembly, which allows a private member to request the Speaker to place a matter of public importance on the Order Paper for discussion in the National Assembly.
However, on 26 October 2010, Acting Speaker Nomaindia Mfeketo responded by turning down my request for a debate.
This is a clear attempt to protect the ruling party from political fallout and smother public debate about the arms deal scandal.
By refusing to allow a snap debate on the closure of the investigation, Nomaindia Mfeketo allowed the ruling party's interests trump the people's interests in the National Assembly.
The DA will therefore write to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Max Sisulu, requesting that he review the decision, taken in his absence by Nomaindia Mfeketo, to refuse a snap debate on this issue.
We cannot sit back and allow the ruling party to protect its interests ahead of the people's right to know the truth.
Statement issued by David Maynier, MP, Democratic Alliance Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, October 28 2010
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