Gauteng Legislature speaker Lindiwe Maseko cancelled a debate on toll roads scheduled for this week because the African National Congress (ANC) was divided on the issue, Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus leader Jack Bloom said on Sunday.
“The ANC Youth League in Gauteng has opposed the tolls as have alliance partners including the SACP and Cosatu,” Bloom said in a statement.
Spokesperson for the ANC Gauteng caucus Gugu Ndima said the reason for the cancellation was to give the public a chance to comment on the tolling of Gauteng’s highways.
The sitting was scheduled to take place on October 11, where the DA intended to oppose the toll roads.
Bloom said Maseko neither consulted opposition parties regarding the cancellation, nor did she give any reasons for it.
“It is highly unusual for a sitting to be cancelled in this way, especially on a Tuesday when there are questions for oral replies as well.”
Ndima said the petition to cancel was proposed and submitted by the DA itself.
“Bloom is just creating a sensation out of this issue in order to score political points,” Ndima said. — Sapa