MONDAY, 7.00PM:
THE Westminster Foundation for Democracy in London has moved hastily to defend the ANC against charged that it has misused two British advisers, saying that it was intended all along that the ANC, as majority party, would get the first benefit of advice.
But the British denial has only confused the matter further, because it contradicts claims by the ANC’s Frene Ginwala (see below) that the advisers were only sent out to help only the ANC.
The foundation’s Alexandra Jones said that because the ANC was responsible for the business of parliament, it “appeared sensible, and likely to support the activities of all political parties, if the advisers were located in the chief whip’s office.”
It was also felt that the ANC in particular — the only major party that has never been in an assembly before — required help in improving its organisation and communications skills.
Jones said her foundation contributed 30% of the funding for the project, and British businesses had provided the rest. Two advisers had been sent out so far, and another two were on their way, who could be deployed to help opposition parties.
MONDAY, 2.00PM:
National Assembly Speaker Frene Ginwala on Monday denied that a R1,6-million British project to upgrade parliamentary skills was ever intended for Parliament.
The Democratic Party has called for a snap debate on what it has called a subversion by the African National Congress of a programme funded by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and designed to train South African parliamentary researchers and assist MPs.
In practical terms, the programme consists of two British Labour Party advisers, sent by the foundation to help build multi-party democracy. The two have been ensconced for almost a year in the office of the ANC chief whip. Whip Max Sisulu told Mail & Guardian last week that he could not share their services with opposition parties at the moment.
Ginwala said she had discussed the possibility of assistance to Parliament last year with the Westminster Foundation, but no offer had been forthcoming. After newspapers reported that the foundation had made a grant to the National Assembly, she asked the British High Commission which, she says, advised her that “the resources had been made available to the ANC and not to the National Assembly.”
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