'ANC more concerned about a party talk shop than South Africans'

Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini. Picture: David Ritchie

Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini. Picture: David Ritchie

Published Jan 24, 2017

Share

Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance has slammed Eskom officials and the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) for cancelling parliamentary briefings just so they could attend the ANC’s national lekgotla.

The DA says this came down to putting the party before the state, and was “unacceptable”.

The portfolio committee on social development had scheduled a briefing by Sassa for Wednesday, and the DA had called for Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini to attend.

DA chief whip John Steenhuisen said this was important as the committee had been promised a briefing on the new grant payment system as ordered by the Constitutional Court.

“The DA had pushed for the attendance of the Minister at this event given that the deadline for the transfer of the social grant system is fast approaching and as of yet, no clear plan has been presented to South Africa,” said Steenhuisen.

Eskom was to report on the crisis relating to it cutting off power to municipalities which had failed to settle their debt.

Steenhuisen said in both cases the reason for cancellation was that “invited stakeholders will be attending the ANC national lekgotla taking place during the same period”.

He added that he would write to the house chairperson of committees, Cedric Frolick, to seek clarity on the matter.

“The ANC is clearly more concerned about a party talk shop than the welfare of the 17 million South Africans who rely on social assistance from the state, or the thousands of ratepaying residents who risk having their electricity cut off,” he added.

Daily Voice

Related Topics: