Cape Town - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on opposition parties to show respect to President Jacob Zuma, to behave and stop “howling, screaming and shouting” if they wanted a well-functioning relationship between Parliament and the executive.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Wednesday, he said: “It becomes very difficult, if there is howling, screaming and shouting, to have a reasonable relationship…
“For as long as the type of behaviour one is getting from the parties in opposition (continues), we will not have a good relationship between Parliament and the executive.”
Ramaphosa added: “If you want a good relationship, then it must be mutually beneficial and it must be executed on both sides.”
Responding earlier to a question from DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane as to when Zuma would fulfil his responsibility to answer questions in the House, Ramaphosa said: “What I do know (is that) the president respects this House, he has deep respect for this House.”
Then he said: “It is the members here, who stood in the way of the president answering questions”.
This was a reference to the EFF “Pay back the money” fracas on August 21 which led to the House being adjourned, scuppering presidential question time, and resulting in the arrival of riot police in Parliament.
The constitution stipulates executive accountability to the national legislature and, according to parliamentary rules, the president must answer questions in person in the National Assembly four times a year. This year it has taken place only once – on August 21 – as the Presidency cited pressures of elections, while maintaining Zuma’s commitment to meet his responsibilities.
Maimane has also called for a parliamentary debate on Zuma’s question time.
However, it is understood another presidential question slot before Parliament rises at the end of the month has been agreed to in principle. The programming committee is expected to finalise the date later this week.
Wednesday’s discussion began after United Democratic Movement MP Mncedisi Filtane asked when Ramaphosa would meet opposition party leaders.
And Filtane got a positive response and undertaking from Ramaphosa that he was “committed” to meeting all opposition leaders, and hoped they would be available on November 18 for a discussion on matters of common interest and national importance.
Political Bureau