Controversial African National Congress MP Johnny de Lange ruffled political feathers in his own party today when he accused the presiding officers of parliament of pushing their own budget agendas.
With De Lange likely to be forced to apologise, the ruling party took the unprecedented action of issuing a statement saying that steps needed to be taken to “restore the dignity” of the joint rules committee where he made the charge.
De Lange, who is chairman of the justice committee, told members of the rules committee that the presiding officers — National Assembly Speaker Frene
Ginwala and National Council of Provinces chairperson Naledi Pandor — had used
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel’s name to put forward their own agenda on
Parliament’s budget.
A rattled Ginwala demanded he withdrew the allegation or substantiate it. De Lange said he would first consult with the finance minister. Ginwala then adjourned the meeting.
Earlier Pandor said that the minister believed members should remove the contradiction in parliament’s rules where the committee was the apparent
executive authority. She argued that the presiding officers were the accounting
officers.
De Lange said this was not Manuel’s view. He argued the rules were clear that the committee was the executive authority. AMC parliamentary representative Cuba Mahaye said in a statement: “We have approached all parties represented on the committee with a view to convening an urgent meting of the committee to restore the dignity of the committee and its processes.
“Certain utterances expressed by the Honourable Johnny de Lange in a meeting of the Joint Rules Committee … had the effect of casting aspersions on the integrity of the Speaker … and the National Council of Provinces chairperson … and the report on the parliamentary budget that they presented to the meeting.
“What occurred in the committee is regrettable and the ANC is of the view that this needs to be rectified and the committee must continue with its important work of transforming Parliament.” – I-Net-Bridge