African National Congress (ANC) Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina says Parliament cannot be found wanting when it comes to conducting oversight over the executive during this time of the COVID-19 lockdown.
She spoke to SABC News following a virtual Chief Whip’s Forum she convened with 12 political parties.
“We have adopted the virtual rules for the meetings that are going to be held through the virtual process. And we agreed that Parliament cannot be found wanting. We must play our oversight role especially during this time.”
“We have agreed with the presiding officers that let’s identify 14 critical portfolio committees that must meet as a matter of urgency, because they are supposed to do oversight of what is happening in COVID-19; in social development, water, labour, police, defence. There are many issues that are involved.”
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The Chief Whip’s forum in Parliament wants the oral reply sessions of holding the executive to account to be in motion even during the coronavirus pandemic.
Majodina says there are questions that ministers have to respond to with regard to COVID-19 and incidents that communities are facing during the lockdown.
“We agreed that our oversight role when it comes to the executive; when it comes to oral; or written questions, that session must be put in place and we mandated the Programming Committee to come up with dates when are we going to ask questions to the executive and the executive might use the same manner in which they address press conferences.”
“We have cluster executive members in one session to respond to questions because we have a responsibility as Parliament to hold the executive to account.”
