Mmusi Maimane: We must invoke real oversight over the laws governing this lockdown
ANC MP and parliamentary counsellor to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Gerhard Koornhof, said: “We must send the message out to the public: Parliament is open, we are functioning.”
UDM MP Nqabayomzi Kwankwa said the move to physical sittings of Parliament must be gradual.
“We can’t afford to hide away,” he said.
Opposition
There was one party, however, who opposed the hybrid system.
EFF MP Veronica Mente said the Western Cape, where Parliament is situated, has become the epicentre of the pandemic. She accused the MPs who supported being in Parliament of being populist.
Modise said she was satisfied with the quality of the virtual meetings that parliamentary committees had had over the past two weeks, albeit that some MPs were concerned about the time allowed for the meetings.
Modise said, after two hours, the systems start collapsing.
Modise said: “We want to hold the executive to account. We must ensure the public is not robbed.”
She said they “need to be cracking the whip” on the quality of the questions the committees asked the ministers.
“Are MPs asking the correct questions?” she asked. “Parliament must be robust in asking the questions. If we have sweetheart questions in our meetings, we’re not helping ourselves.”
House chairperson Cedric Frolick said the meetings must start on time, as it does not create a good impression of the NA when meetings start late.
