Service Commission Reports: DA calls on Speaker to intervene in political stand-off

The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Max Sisulu, should now intervene to compel Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, to hand over the interim reports of the National Defence Force Service Commission.

The political battle over the interim reports has now escalated with the release of a press statement by cabinet stating that:

• the minister was not obliged to table the interim reports of the national defence force service commission;
• that a "cabinet co-responsibility convention" requires the minister to process reports, policy documents and legislation through cabinet prior to tabling them in parliament; and
• expressing cabinet's full support to the minister with respect to tabling the interim reports to the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans.

The political battle lines are now drawn with the entire cabinet deciding to go head-to-head with the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans.

The fact is, however, that the portfolio committee is in possession of two legal opinions provided by Parliament's legal services department advising that the minister may be compelled to release the interim reports of the National Defence Force Service Commission.

The interim reports have been in the possession of the minister for more than six months and yet they have not been processed through cabinet. One suspects that the minister has no intention of processing the interim reports through the cabinet and will try and use "cabinet co-responsibility" as a legal fig leaf to prevent the reports from being handed over to Parliament.

The political battle over the interim reports of the National Defence Force Service Commission is going to become a litmus test of Parliament's ability to hold the executive to account. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Max Sisulu, cannot therefore remain on the sidelines of the political battle over the interim reports.

The DA therefore calls on the Speaker to break his silence on this matter and intervene to compel Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, to hand over the interim reports.

Statement issued by David Maynier, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of defence and military veterans, August 21 2010

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