A programming meeting was finally convened to initiate activities of Portfolio Committees and State of the Province Address, following a letter the DA caucus sent to the Speaker, Ntombizanele Sifuba.
The Programming Committee is responsible for the adoption of the annual programme, which determines the business of the legislature for the year. Yesterday the Programming Committee convened for the first time to adopt a programme for 2023, which implies that no constitutionally mandated work has been done in the Free State Legislature since it closed for the December break on 15 December 2022.
When the Speaker was asked to provide a reason for the complete waste of valuable time, she refused to respond, which is an indication of the attitude of ANC Politian’s towards the upkeep of rule and order. ANC politicians seem to be more concerned with internal party factional battles and an imminent reshuffling rather than upholding that which they have sworn to do.
The programme which has been approved by the committee, has now been cramped into a short space of time. The Legislature plays an important role in monitoring and oversight of government departments, having limited time impedes on the Legislatures ability to carry out its constitutionally mandated functions optimally. This is a slap in the face of Free State residents who count on the Legislature to hold the executive to account and carry out oversight over service delivery for which the provincial government is responsible.
The DA will ensure that this is rectified so that the important business of the Legislature is carried out and members can do the jobs they are paid by taxpayers to do.