DA denied request to put urgent questions to Ramaphosa

National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has declined the Democratic Alliance (DA) request to put an urgent question to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The President is scheduled to appear before the National Assembly on Tuesday, to reply to oral questions on a wide range of issues.

DA leader John Steenhuisen wanted Ramaphosa to answer a range of questions including the challenges of illegal immigration, gender-based violence and the deployment of the South African National Defence Force to South African borders.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa claims his administration is winning fight against corruption

In a statement, Parliament says questions to the President must be submitted at least 16 days before the day on which they are to be answered for the Speaker’s approval.

“This is to ensure that the questions are compliant with the rules and guidelines. The provision is further intended to ensure that the President is afforded reasonable time to prepare his responses.”

You can watch the live broadcast here: Ramaphosa Q & A

In her reply to Steenhuisen, Nqakula pointed out that “the regime for urgent questions” is also regulated in terms of documented practice contained in the Guide to Procedure.

“The DA has another opportunity to ask a question to the President on 29 September, in addition to opportunities at the disposal of the party to put written question to the President.”

“In this regard, based on the Rules of the Assembly, read together with the 2004 National Assembly Guide to Procedure, the Speaker was unable to accede to Mr Steenhuisen’s request for his urgent question to be added on the list of oral question to be put to the President,” said Parliament.

Some of the burning questions that Ramaphosa will be expected to answer from political parties include the Phala Phala game farm scandal and take accountability, the Eskom crisis, illegal migration after zama zama’s miners attacked a music video crew – gang-raping eight women at an abandoned Krugersdorp mine which also resulted in protests from local communities.