The EFF has slammed the ANC over the postponement of a parliamentary committee meeting in which MPs were expecting to hold institutions close to the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) to account over the country’s military presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Parliament’s portfolio committee on defence and military veterans was meant to meet on Wednesday to receive an update from the military health services on the status of its pharmacies and report on pharmacies set for closure.
The committee was also scheduled to consider its first-term programme.
The meeting was, however, taken off the memo of committee meetings for parliament on Wednesday morning.
The EFF said the postponement was a bid to avoid accountability over the deaths of SANDF personnel in the DRC, where 13 soldiers lost their lives as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels took control of Goma.
Defence committee postponement angers EFF as DRC conflict rages
Image: JEAN BIZIMANA/REUTERS
The EFF has slammed the ANC over the postponement of a parliamentary committee meeting in which MPs were expecting to hold institutions close to the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) to account over the country’s military presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Parliament’s portfolio committee on defence and military veterans was meant to meet on Wednesday to receive an update from the military health services on the status of its pharmacies and report on pharmacies set for closure.
The committee was also scheduled to consider its first-term programme.
The meeting was, however, taken off the memo of committee meetings for parliament on Wednesday morning.
The EFF said the postponement was a bid to avoid accountability over the deaths of SANDF personnel in the DRC, where 13 soldiers lost their lives as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels took control of Goma.
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“Today the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans was due to meet at 10am to assess the situation in the DRC, and to intervene urgently to address the plight of our soldiers, who are under severe pressure and are facing terrible constraints with regards to ammunition and other urgently needed supplies.”
The EFF said the committee must meet and hold the executive accountable for the loss of lives.
The party criticised portfolio committee chair Dakota Legoete and defence and military veterans minister Angie Motshekga about the crisis.
“Seven long days while our soldiers are exposed on the killing fields in the eastern DRC. The postponement, at the last minute, followed earlier attempts by Legoete to cancel the meeting.”
Earlier this week President Cyril Ramaphosa held a phone call with Rwandan President Paul Kagame to discuss the matter and said they agreed a ceasefire was needed.
TimesLIVE
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