Chairperson of Committees in Parliament Cedrick Frolick says he is awaiting a report regarding the closing to the media of the portfolio committee on Water and Sanitation, on Wednesday.
Committees of Parliament may only be closed to the media and public when proper procedure has been followed.
The committee was closed by the chairperson to give security agencies the SIU, NPA and the Hawks the opportunity to present progress reports behind closed doors.
Frolick discussed the matter at Parliament’s Programming meeting.
“Based on what was put in front of us, more than sufficient reason to allow the committee chair to proceed and to put it to meeting itself, not only on one occasion. I’m informed that this matter of possible closure of meeting was mentioned last week – the day before yesterday and nobody objected.”
Chief Whips of the ANC, Jackson Mthembu and John Steenhuisen from the DA, have als0 condemned the decision to close the meeting without prior notification, as well as calling Parliament’s security personnel to remove journalists from the committee room.
