Marianne Merten
African National Congress MPs on the parliamentary standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) have cited a ”political process” as the reason for appointing the ANC’s Vincent Smith as ”temporary” committee chairman.
The implication is that there are difficulties over appointing an Inkatha Freedom Party successor to IFP MP Gavin Woods, who resigned as chairperson last week in protest against ”political interference” in the committee’s work.
At issue may be the fact that the IFP is entitled to one seat only on the standing committee meaning that Woods would be forced out of Scopa altogether.
Opposition members have attacked Smith’s appointment as a breach of tradition and fear it may be permanent.
Smith, the ANC leader on Scopa, was elected in an acting role until the next committee meeting, on April 23, after Parliament’s Easter recess.
This is the first time Scopa has been chaired by a member of the governing party even one punted as a temporary appointee in the interest of continuing the committee’s work.
Democratic Party MP and Scopa member Raenette Taljaard criticised the appointment carried by the committee’s ANC majority to defeat the DP candidate Nigel Bruce as ”a clear disregard for the internationally accepted principle of having an opposition chairperson”.
But Smith was adamant his position was strictly temporary and there were no plans to ”tamper with the tradition” of an opposition chairperson. ”There are ongoing discussions to find a permanent solution.”
Last month ANC chief whip Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula restated the party’s commitment to the international practice of an opposition chairperson of the public accounts committee.
At the start of the committee hearing, ANC MP on Scopa, Bruce Kannemeyer, hinted at ”political process” still under way as the reason for the interim arrangement.
However, Taljaard pointed out parliamentary rules made no provision for an acting chairperson following a resignation. Only if the chairperson was unable to attend, or was incapacitated, could a committee member be elected in an acting capacity.
Talks between the IFP and ANC whips are known to be under way. If there is no agreement a New National Party MP may be offered the chair. The likely candidate would be Pierre Uys, the former Western Cape local government MEC.