DA wants more parliamentary oversight over Ramaphosa

DA wants more parliamentary oversight over Ramaphosa

The Democratic Alliance has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of creating and running a separate parallel state. 

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DA

The party on Wednesday presented interventions which it says will get Parliament working. 


Leader John Steenhuisen says Ramaphosa is undermining the existence of Parliament.


"He is bypassing his Cabinet, he is centralising control in his office - things like cutting red tape, the energy crisis, state security. Key things that Parliament such be exercising oversight over and yet those responsibilities have now been essentially removed from the ministers responsible and set up in his parallel Cabinet of commissions task teams. 


"How does Parliament exercise oversight of people who are performing essentially the executive function but have no oversight over them?" 


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The DA also says the presence of the police and military during parliamentary sittings creates a hostile environment.


Chief whip Natasha Mazzone says what is needed is a stronger independent parliamentary protection service in the precinct.


"This would enhance the separation of powers between the executive and the legislature and I can tell you as a member of parliament, often there are times that member of parliament live in fear or there is an element of a feeling of oppression when we know that right outside the doors of Parliament are armed policemen and women waiting to remove or deal with MPs who are removed from the parliamentary chambers."  

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