Parliament must tell the Executive to back off

26 August 2014

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is gravely concerned at the implication of the statement released today by the Joint Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster, which appears to violate the most basic principle of separation of powers - enshrined in our Constitution. As such, I will be requesting an urgent meeting of Parliament's highest decision-making body, the Parliamentary Oversight Authority (POA), to discuss the matter.

At this morning's briefing, the Chairperson of the Cluster, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, said the fracas in the House last week constituted a threat to national security, and that the executive "cannot stand idle as our democracy is undermined". This is a veiled threat, which completely ignores Parliament's responsibility to uphold its own rules and therefore handle this matter.

If anything, it is because the Executive does not take parliamentary accountability seriously that we have ended up in this situation in the first place. It is important to note that Parliament holds the Executive to account and not the other way around.

The POA must send a very clear message to Members of the Executive that this infringement of its powers, and independence as a separate arm of the state, will not be accepted. 

It is high time that Parliament tells the Executive to back off and take its oversight role seriously. The DA is committed to making sure this happens.

Statement issued by John Steenhuisen MP, Democratic Alliance Chief Whip, August 26 2014

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