The African National Congress (ANC) says it is concerned that a motion praising the Democratic Alliance (DA) run Western Cape government for its achievements was passed in the National Assembly without objections.
The party says it would naturally have rejected the motion as they have always done with similar motions.
A letter from National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete to Western Cape Premier Helen Zille congratulating her on the motion has been circulated on social media.
My favourite phrase in that letter is “the [national] Assembly congratulates the Western Cape Provincial government in achieving these massive feats”.
Nice one. Thank you Honourable Baleka Mbete, Speaker of Parliament. https://t.co/J6N2iEJJiq— Helen Zille (@helenzille) April 12, 2019
Among others, the National Assembly noted that unemployment in the province had dropped by over 19%, making it the lowest in the country.
The NA also noted that the provincial government had completed over 200 000 housing opportunities and that it would meet 100% of its targets in this year.
The province also received a praise that 91% of its households now live within 30 minutes of a health facility.
In a statement, the office of ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu says the motion fell through the cracks without detection.
National Assembly congratulates Western Cape on SA’s lowest unemployment rate.
The Office of Western Cape Premier Helen Zille yesterday received formal congratulations from the National Assembly on having achieved South Africa’s lowest unemployment rate. pic.twitter.com/T63SZIK3jz
— Dean N Biddulph (@COODeanBiddulph) April 10, 2019