Mbete must comply with Constitutional Court judgment on Dlamini‚ says DA

Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete must move swiftly to give effect to the Constitutional Court judgment instructing Parliament to hold Minister of Social Security Bathabile Dlamini to account‚ the Democratic Alliance says.

DA chief whip John Steenhuisen said on Sunday the party believed that the Speaker should‚ without delay‚ establish an ad hoc committee in accordance with the mandate set out in the DA’s notice of motion submitted on March 15.

He noted that in its judgment‚ the Constitutional Court had been unequivocal in finding that: “The office-holder ultimately responsible for the crisis and the events that led to it is the person who holds executive political office. It is the Minister who is required in terms of the Constitution to account to Parliament. That is the Minister‚ and the Minister alone.”

• Defiant Dlamini might have to pay up to R5m in legal fees from own pocketSocial Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini was yesterday summoned to an urgent meeting with the ANC's integrity commission to explain her role in the social grants debacle that put the livelihoods of millions of South Africans at risk.

“Mbete’s indefensible bias and slavish commitment to protecting the Executive facilitated‚ at least for a while‚ the most extraordinary evading of accountability in the Nkandla matter‚ until the Constitutional Court put an end to it‚ Steenhuisen asserted.

More recently‚ and without Constitutional Court intervention‚ an ad hoc committee established to probe the shambles at the SABC had forced Minister of Communications‚Faith Muthambi to finally account for her role in the crisis‚ he added.

“It is our hope that the good faith and multi-party cooperation shown in this committee can be replicated‚ and that Dlamini can finally be forced to account to Parliament‚ as ordered by the Constitutional Court.

• Baleka Mbete fuels crises by shielding inept leadersBaleka Mbete must shoulder much of the blame for the social grants debacle, writes John Steenhuisen

“Members of the Executive routinely shirk their constitutional duty to account to Parliament and the Speaker has become their ever-willing accomplice. Now‚ thanks to the integrity and impartiality of the Constitutional Court‚ time has run out for Dodging Dlamini and Mbete has been left with no choice but to call the minister to account. We suggest she studies the Constitutional Court judgment and establishes an ad hoc committee without delay‚” Steenhuisen stated.