The Democratic Alliance says it will take the speaker of Parliament’s decision to disallow a question to President Thabo Mbeki on the arms deal under legal review.
According to a statement by DA leader Tony Leon on Sunday, Speaker Baleka Mbete refused to allow the party to question Mbeki on the matter when he comes to Parliament next week, on the grounds that the subject is not of national or international importance.
”The speaker also disallowed the question saying that it contains innuendo’s and implications of improper conduct on the part of the president.”
Leon said the party disagreed with Mbete’s decision because the purpose of Parliament was to hold the president and the executive accountable.
”If a straight question to the president, which he could either confirm or deny and further explain is prohibited, it means that Parliament has been shut down,” read Leon’s statement.
”We regard it [the speaker’s decision] as a misdirection and misunderstanding of the role of the speaker and of the Constitution and thus an abuse of power.”
Leon said that this was the third time either the speaker or the president had shut down a DA attempt to establish whether or not Mbeki met with Thomson-CSF in December 1998, shortly after Cabinet announced its preferred bidders for the arms procurement package. – Sapa