The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo welcomes the decision taken at today’s programming committee meeting, for the Provincial Legislature to resume sittings at the legislature chamber in Lebowakgomo in October. The decision is pending an inspection next week by the programming committee, internal arrangement committee and the secretary of the Legislature.
This decision comes after numerous calls by the DA to resume physical legislature sittings, portfolio committee meetings and normal legislature functions as long as health and safety protocols are implemented. We do not foresee the inspection hindering a return to sittings in the Legislature chambers. The Legislature has had sufficient time to prepare and has already held a sitting during the lockdown at the swearing in of the new speaker.
During lockdown the Limpopo Legislature has so far failed to perform its mandated duties effectively through virtual sittings. The Legislature was not carrying out its oversight function, holding the Executive to account nor processing questions for written reply.
The province has been overwhelmed by allegations of corruption and misuse of Covid-19 funds and the Legislature’s role is vital in ensuring such situations do not occur and Provincial departments and entities are held accountable.
Now that the country is at level 1 of the lockdown and all sectors of the economy are open, there is no excuse for members of the Legislature to not perform their duties fully and physically attend Legislature sittings and portfolio committee meetings.
The DA has always maintained that the virtual sittings in the Limpopo Legislature were not effective. Physical sittings are necessary in order to provide oversight and to articulate the needs and desires of the citizens of the province.
The DA remains committed to demanding full transparency and accountability within the Limpopo Legislature.