The Speaker of the National Assembly, Thandi Modise has accepted Democratic Alliance (DA) request for urgent debate in Parliament on corruption related to Covid-19 procurement.
According to DA the act of stealing emergency relief funding through procurement corruption is a new low for the ruling ANC and its family members.
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There are still far more questions than answers. The debate has to get to the bottom of this.
However, the wording of the Speaker’s letter of reply is concerning. In addition, DA said it seem that she has already decided which lines of questioning she will allow in the debate and which she won’t.
In response, she said: “I find no basis for your request that Parliament should summon the President to account on how he will deal with members of his party and son.”
But she further said that allegations of COVID-19 corruption are indeed serious and should be considered by the National Assembly.
According to DA this indicates that President Ramaphosa could be shielded from answering questions relating to the involvement of, and consequences for, his own party members.
In addition, also to his son’s contract to modify Gauteng taxis could be off-limits too. This would not be acceptable.
“It would make a mockery of the President’s strongly worded commitment to tackle the scourge of COVID-19 corruption that has been revealed in recent weeks,” said DA.
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The DA said if that is indeed the case, they expect her to offer MPs the opportunity in this debate to ask precisely those sharp questions of the President.
The party said even the business dealings of his own family and the family members of his senior party members.
