DA says ANC North West prioritises internal politics over people’s issues

The DA in the North West has written to the speaker of the provincial legislature Sussana Dantjie requesting that she give reasons why the plenary sitting and committee meetings scheduled for today (September 20 2018) was postponed.

The party said in a statement: “It has come to light that the postponement was due to the fact that ANC members of the legislature instead chose to attend an announcement of the North West Provincial Task Team (PTT), which took place at Luthuli House today.”

ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule announced the PTT today following the recent disbandment of the provincial executive committee (PEC) chaired by former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo.

“This ill-considered decision once again proves that the ANC puts party politics above the people with party matters clearly taking preference, and the speaker should explain why the [provincial legislature’s] programme is interrupted by the ANC’s party schedule,” the DA continued in the statement.

The party said the legislature is an entity that should operate independently of political affiliation.

“The speaker’s decision to put the ANC’s interests first is inconsistent with the [provincial legislature’s] mandate of being principled, unbiased, and unrelenting in the pursuit of their vision to foster lawmaking, oversight, and public participation processes through robust debates to instil public pride and confidence in democracy. This act of imprudence is, therefore, a display of their indifference and lack of political will to better the lives of the citizens of this province.”

The party added that the sitting in the provincial legislature comprises of debates, motions, and amendment bills that directly affect the livelihood of every person in the North West.

“The fact that proceedings of this nature were postponed in order for the ANC to resolve their internal political scuffles is telling of their priorities and reveals their lack of interest in the wellbeing of our people.

“The DA has, over the course of this fiscal quarter, submitted questions to the North West provincial government regarding pressing issues such as the pit toilets in schools, the crucial vacancies in the health sector, as well as the general gross mismanagement of funds across the board, of which only 40% have been responded to.

“With this kind of track record, the least the failing ANC government can do is to proceed with sittings that deal with the issues we are faced with in this province,” the DA concluded.

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