EFF accuses Ramaphosa, Cabinet of failing to answer parliamentary questions

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet of failing to answer parliamentary questions posed by MPs.

Parliamentary questions

According to the Red Berets, in 2021, Ramaphosa and Cabinet did not answer 175 questions for written reply, 57 of which came from the EFF benches.

In a statement on Monday, the EFF said it believed that the president and Cabinet’s failure to respond to parliamentary questions was “a direct attack and violation of the constitution”.

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The party said Rule 145, subsection 5(a) of the National Assembly clearly stipulated that questions for written reply should be replied to within 10 working days. The responsible minister may ask the speaker, in writing, for an extension not exceeding a further 10 working day on good cause shown.

The EFF said as things stood, Rule 145 was being undermined by Ramaphosa and his Cabinet with impunity.

The party cited the Presidency, the departments of Public Enterprises, Finance, Justice and Correctional Services, among others, as being among the departments that had failed to answer parliamentary questions last year.

“It is high time that Ramaphosa and his Cabinet respect the constitutional principle of accountability. Parliament is the central constitutional mechanism for holding the executive accountable; refusal to answer its questions is outright disloyalty to the constitution,” said EFF national spokesperson Vuyani Pambo.

The EFF called on Ramaphosa to show leadership and answer all four of the outstanding questions the party asked with immediate effect.

“In addition, he must instruct all his Cabinet ministers to provide answers to all outstanding questions with immediate effect; immediate effect means 24 hours,” Pambo said.

‘Cheerleader of the constitution’

The EFF slammed Justice Minister Ronald Lamola for not answering seven questions, saying “he goes around portraying himself as the cheerleader of the constitution but fails to abide by a simple principle of accountability.”

The party also came for Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, saying before she “finds time to write long public opinion pieces about serving the people of South Africa, she must do the basic thing and answer questions from their elected public representative in Parliament.”

“Moreover, an extraordinary step must be taken in relation to ministers Mmamoloko Kubayi with 17 outstanding questions, Thoko Didiza with 24 outstanding questions, and Thandi Modise with 25 outstanding questions.

“These ministers must either be removed from Cabinet or lose six months of their salaries each for showing absolute disdain to the constitution.”

The EFF said it would not allow any Cabinet minister to get away with defying the constitution.

The party said it was prepared to take legal action to attain a declaratory order that “the president and/or Cabinet ministers have violated the constitution by not answering Parliament questions and initiate Section 89 impeachment proceedings”.

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe

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