Arms deal debate: Speaker is weakening Parliament

The failure of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Max Sisulu, to respond to my request that he review the decision made not to allow a debate on the closing of the investigation into the arms deal, has severely undermined an important recourse available to members of parliament. With just one week before the house rises, this delay is nothing more than the further brushing under the carpet of the debate on the arms deal.

The DA reminds the speaker that he is required to be impartial, and be at the forefront of ensuring members of parliament are able to exercise their constitutional rights to exercise oversight over the executive and bring where necessary members of the executive to account. His role is not to protect the interests of the ruling party.

On 22 October, David Maynier, DA Shadow Minister for Defense and Military Veterans, requested in terms of Chapter 8, rule 103.1 of the National Assembly that the house debate the closing of the investigation into the arms deal as a matter of importance. Acting speaker at the time, Deputy Speaker Nomaindia Mfeketo refused this request on grounds that the matter was being considered by the Committee on Public Accounts, and that Mr. Maynier should make a motion in the house for the debate.

In a letter I submitted to the speaker on the 3 November, I asked him to review this decision. Since the consideration of this matter before the Committee on Public Accounts has been severely delayed, and since motions are seldom debated in the house, the consequence of the decision was to prevent the matter from being considered in the near future.

The speaker's failure to respond to this request is yet another indication of the weakening of parliament and the stifling of debate on matters of genuine concern. The decision yesterday to remove Mr. Maynier from the house, when in fact the speaker should have rather investigated why Minister Sisulu had misled parliament, further justifies this view.

The DA will continue to make full use of all rules available to it in the National Assembly, so that parliament is a forum for discussion and debate, and not just a rubber stamp for Luthuli House.

Statement issued by Ian Davidson MP, Democratic Alliance Chief Whip, November 12 2010

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