Opposition parties ‘do not have monopoly’ on grilling cabinet

The DA’s newly elected parliamentary leader, George Michalakis, does not believe that opposition parties “have a monopoly” on holding the national executive to account, saying that responsibility rests with all 400 MPs.

Michalakis also disagrees with those who argue that the DA is confused about whether it is a party in government or in opposition since joining the government of national unity (GNU) after the 2024 general election.

“We are often criticised for not being sure whether we want to be in opposition or whether we want to be in government, and I fundamentally disagree with people who criticise us for that,” Michalakis told the Sunday Times from his office on the second floor of the Marks Building in parliament.

“The opposition does not have the monopoly on holding the executive to account and making parliament work. Each one of the 400 MPs in this country has a constitutional obligation to hold the executive accountable, and that role needs to be fulfilled.

“We saw what happened during the ANC’s majority rule, when MPs did not fulfil that role and simply became a rubber stamp. It hollows parliament out.”

Michalakis, who until this week was the DA’s chief whip, also rejected the suggestion that the party had gone soft on ministers since becoming a GNU partner.

He said the DA had led the charge against disgraced former higher education minister Nobuhle Nkabane, suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu and, most recently, social development minister Sisisi Tolashe over alleged irregularities in their departments.

Are those soft approaches? We have taken all of them on. The DA was the one that laid the charges, both criminally and ethically, and the DA was incredibly active in the ad hoc committee.

“Are those soft approaches? We have taken all of them on. The DA was the one that laid the charges, both criminally and ethically, and the DA was incredibly active in the ad hoc committee.

“The DA was the one asking questions about the Setas [sector education and training authorities], and Nazley Sharif is now asking questions about minister Tolashe. We have not gone soft on members of the executive, but where we have seen good work ... we have supported them.”

Michalakis was elected DA parliamentary leader on Thursday after a two-horse race in which he defeated former deputy minister of trade & industry Andrew Whitfield.

In terms of the DA constitution, the party had to elect a parliamentary leader because its national leader, Geordin Hill-Lewis, is not an MP and is running the party from his office as Cape Town mayor following his election in April.

Party rules allowed Michalakis and Whitfield to lobby the DA’s 87 MPs for support before Thursday’s vote.

“I just had very honest one-on-one conversations with my caucus; I shared my views and my vision, which I think all the candidates did, and I am incredibly grateful that my colleagues bought into the vision I shared with the caucus,” Michalakis said. “It was such overwhelming support. I can only be humble and grateful.”

He said that at the “core” of his vision was making the DA the largest party in the National Assembly (NA) by 2029. “Everything else builds on that,” he said, referring to job creation, tackling crime and corruption, and improving service delivery as his top priorities.

In his new position, Michalakis has the prerogative to appoint a new chief whip. He said he would not rush the appointment process and was consulting Hill-Lewis and other influential figures in the party whom he “trusted”.

When he was appointed by former DA leader John Steenhuisen in 2024, some were critical, arguing that he had only served two terms in the often moribund National Council of Provinces, even though he was starting his third term as an MP at the time.

Critics claimed that, in trying to assert himself in the hurly-burly of the NA, Michalakis rubbed some people up the wrong way, both within parliament and inside the DA.

“I did make mistakes. We all do,” he said. “It was new territory to navigate, building relationships with people you meet for the first time, not only internally but also externally.

“I was new in the NA. It’s a completely different house, and you learn the ropes. There are many things I needed to learn, and there’s no guidebook on how to be a chief whip. We were all new at what we were doing.”