Cape Town - Parliament’s information technology system malfunctioned on the day that Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MPs were told to leave the National Assembly for disrupting President Jacob Zuma’s question time, it has emerged.
The system deals with the recording and voting systems in the chamber. It also allows members to press a button when they wish to speak.
A number of the 20 EFF MPs facing disciplinary charges and members of the powers and privileges committee said on Monday that because of the problems with the system, some of them could not participate properly during the chaotic sitting on August 21.
The head of Parliament’s information communications technology, Ravi Poliah, testified on Monday about whether the microphones and talk buttons were functioning on the day in question.
Randall van Voore, the lawyer leading the probe into the EFF MPs’ conduct, asked Poliah if he would have been able to document the problem and take remedial steps if a problem had arisen with the equipment during the sitting on August 21.
“Are you aware of any report of any incident in relation to the equipment as it was used on August 21 that would have required the process of replacing, fixing or any other intervention?” Van Voore asked Poliah.
Albert Mncwango (IFP) asked Poliah whether - in the light of his evidence that everything had been checked on August 21 and found to be working - he had been aware that some of the “request to speak” buttons had not been functioning.
“I had asked whether the Madam Speaker’s equipment was working on that day and whether there were any engineers in the house on that day,” Mncwango said.
“I’m asking this question because I had problems with my one personal request to speak and it is captured in he Hansard that I had to use somebody else’s station because mine wasn’t working.”
Poliah said if an error occurred during a sitting, Parliament would log the incident with the ICT unit.
“There is a very clear process on how that is to be dealt with,” he said.
“Then we have what we call the change management process where components that are faulty need to be replaced. But I’m not aware of any such reports.”
Poliah was the second witness to appear before the committee. The first, the secretary of Parliament, Masibulele Xaso, testified earlier this month.
Other witnesses who are to come before the committee are Telecommunications Minister Siyabonga Cwele, Minister of State Security David Mahlobo, DA chief whip John Steenhuisen and ANC deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude.
Although members of the opposition have wanted Speaker Baleka Mbete to appear before the committee, she is not on the final list of witnesses.
Serjeant-at-arms Regina Mhlomi was also called in to testify. She was one of the parliamentary officials who spoke to EFF leader Julius Malema on the day.
Political Bureau