Deputy Minister for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Seiso Mohai assured the nation on Wednesday that persistent disagreements within the Government of National Unity (GNU) would not disrupt the operations of his department.
Responding to EFF MP Chumani Matiwane during the National Assembly question session, Mohai reiterated the department’s unwavering commitment to executing its mandate, guided by the National Development Plan 2030 and the recently approved Medium-Term Development Plan.
Mohai was responding on behalf of Minister Maropene Ramokgopa.
Matiwane asked about the impact the disagreements within the GNU on the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, National Health Insurance Act, and Expropriation Act have on the department’s functions and risks posed by the inter-government disagreements within the GNU.
Mohai stated that the GNU had established dispute-resolution mechanisms to address any lack of consensus among coalition partners.
“There are no major governance issues or reputational risks because a mechanism has been established to deal with those challenges,” he said.
“The time taken to resolve any deadlock that may arise depends on the complexity of the matter at hand,” he added.
Mohai noted that the GNU acknowledged that the GNU parties, which have different orientations, have found a formula to work together.
“We believe that there is a common understanding that we have cultivated that both need to work for the interest of our country, and we believe that the Budget issues are issues that will take a long time but reflect the contradictions that exist at a given time and we are confident that they will be resolved.”
The question session started with some parties unhappy with the absence of Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi to answer the oral questions.
This was after House Chairperson Cedric Frolick announced that they were not available to answer questions.
“The questions will therefore stand over and these questions will be scheduled in consultation with the Programme Committee,” Frolick said.
DA chief whip George Michalakis said while he accepted the reasons, there were quite a great number of questions standing over.
“I would just like to request that that be taken up with the Leader of Government Business, that this doesn't become a tendency,” Michalakis said.
MK Party’s Visvin Reddy expressed his party’s disappointment that the ministers were not present to answer important questions.
“The only way that we can hold the executive accountable is during this question session and when they choose not to come here and with complete disregard for this House, I think it's a matter that needs to be taken up a little bit more seriously,” Reddy said.
In response, Frolick stated that National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza was treating the matter with the necessary seriousness and was taking it up with the Leader of Government Business.
However, ACDP MP Steve Swart said the House was aware that Buthelezi had been hospitalised.
“I'm not condoning them not being here or the executive not being in Parliament, but let us also be aware that emergencies do happen. The deputy minister has an emergency as well,” said Swart, adding that they had received that message beforehand.
MK Party’s David Skosana said it was not good enough all the time when the excuses were coming up in the House.
“Some of the ministers, not all of them, in particular from that side, they are undermining this House,” he said.
EFF MP Natasha Ntlangwini said it was very irresponsible for the ministers to have not asked other ministers to answer on their behalf.