Gauteng legislature to go digital for duration of lockdown

The Gauteng provincial legislature is expected to launch various digital platforms – which will be open to the public – for legislature sittings in the duration of the lockdown.

The legislature went into recess on 24 March and was supposed to resume on 14 April. But the resumption date was affected by the lockdown.

The legislature’s speaker, Ntombi Mekgwe, met with presiding officers, leaders of political parties represented at the legislature and the legislature’s management on Wednesday to share plans for the legislature to continue with its business during the lockdown.

The legislature has looked at approving rules for virtual sittings, its communications unit said in a statement on Thursday. The “digital” legislature will be guided by the rules on how to conduct virtual house sittings, committee meetings and National Council of Provinces (NCOP) business.

Already, a virtual briefing by National Treasury was held to all national and provincial finance committees

The statement said that since the lockdown was announced, legislature members and staff have been working from home.

The statement added, meanwhile, that to date there was no reported case of any legislature member or staff infected with Covid-19 and further encouraged all to continue abiding with the all measures to fight the virus.

In addition, the statement said that the speaker had urged Gauteng to adhere to the lockdown regulations, such as staying at home, washing hands with water and soap and exercising precautionary measures to fight the pandemic.

“We can count on all the people of Gauteng that, if we all take responsibility, it is possible, we can beat the virus,” she said.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.