Ramaphosa, Mashatile and ministers to face oral questions in Parliament

President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: ANA Archive

President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: ANA Archive

Published Sep 3, 2023

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President Cyril Ramaphosa will be in the hot seat when he answers oral questions in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

His deputy, Paul Mashatile, will have his day in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday.

According to the internal question paper, DA leader John Steenhuisen will ask Ramaphosa about the commitment made during the debate on the 2018 State of the Nation Address, that lifestyle audits will be done starting with cabinet ministers and his pledge in August 2020 to conduct lifestyle audits on all public representatives.

Steenhuisen will ask whether Ramaphosa would make a policy decision to support and expedite the devolution of passenger rail to competent metros following the August taxi strike in Cape Town that deprived millions of school children and commuters access to learning and work opportunities respectively.

AIC MP Mahlubandile Jafta will enquire from the president whether he intended taking any steps to protect the courts and the judiciary and especially the Constitutional Court, from attacks which go beyond reasonable criticism of judicial decisions to incitement of harm against the administration of justice.

ANC MP Cyril Xaba will ask Ramaphosa about how the government will strengthen the principle of cooperative governance among the three spheres of government as the recent taxi strike in Cape Town highlighted the challenges to cooperation among the three spheres.

Other ANC MPs, Judy Hermans and Dikeledi Direko, will ask questions related to the Brics summit and speeding up the delivery of basic services such as water and sanitation, human settlements, waste removal, potholes and other socio-economic challenges affecting all communities.

Meanwhile, Mashatile will be asked by ANC chief in the NCOP, Seiso Mohai, whether the government had any plans to focus on the need for advancing a similar cohesive consensus on the formation of coalitions at local government.

Mashatile will be asked by EFF MP Mmabatho Mokause whether, what she described as refusal of Parliament to hold Ramaphosa accountable on the Phala Phala scandal, tainted a perception of the public regarding the country’s commitment to fight crime and hold those in power accountable.

Also on Tuesday, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande will be answering oral questions in the NCOP.

Health Minister Joe Phaahla and Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu will appear before the NCOP on Wednesday.

Cape Times