The EFF Secures a Win for Zuma

18 June 2015

The DA strongly condemns the EFF for undermining Parliament today and allowing President Zuma to win and the people of South Africa to lose.

For South Africa to work, Parliament must work. And for Parliament to work, the President must be held accountable. 

The EFF played into the ANC’s hands. Today, the President escaped being held accountable yet again. The EFF’s actions allowed the President to not answer questions on the following issues:

- State capture of independent Chapter 9 institutions

- The circumstances surrounding the escape of Omar Al-Bashir

- Slow economic growth

- The unemployment crisis

The issue of the President’s corruption at Nkandla is important to all South Africans. And the DA will not relent in its fight to have the President repay a fair portion of the undue benefit he received from the upgrades to his private residence at Nkandla. But today’s sitting was neither the time nor the place to raise this issue. 

The EFF were well aware that the issue of Nkandla was not up for discussion today, but as a result of their obstinate insistence that the matter be discussed the agreed upon programme was unnecessarily delayed and proceedings ultimately adjourned.

The DA will not be a party to the destruction of the institutions of our democracy by rogue parties with no respect for parliamentary procedure. A working Parliament helps South Africa work.

While the EFF and the President’s refusal to account obstructs the business of the House, millions of South Africans continue to suffer from slow economic growth, rising unemployment and rampant crime. A functioning Parliament is key to addressing these issues.

President Zuma must account for the economic crisis as well as his government’s decision to allow a wanted war criminal to evade capture in violation of both domestic and international law.

In order for South Africa to reach its potential we need strong institutions and an effective, accountable government. 

We cannot allow the singular focus of one party to prevent the debate of important issues as they attempt to score political points.

Statement issued by John Steenhuisen MP, DA Chief Whip, June 18 2015