The continued misleading allegations from the ANC that the DA is interfering and destabilising the Western Cape Legislature Conduct Committee are completely baseless and must stop immediately.
There is absolutely no evidence of any interference and quite frankly the allegations are spurious.
As per our previous statement, issued on Wednesday, August 30, we once again categorically state that no one was put under any pressure or forced to resign.
Lennit Max MPP resigned on August 25 of his own accord and we accepted his resignation. Any member wishing to resign from being a committee chairperson, as a member of the house or from the party, has the right to do so.
Unlike Khaya Magaxa and his ANC colleagues, who constantly seek out opportunities to conceal matters using the mechanisms within the legislature, we allow our members to robustly debate issues in the committees, because we believe in transparency and fairness.
Magaxa is so concerned about why a DA member resigned, but he has never offered an explanation as to why he left his post as chairperson of the ANC in this province.
To suggest that the DA is behind the resignation is further proof of how disillusioned the ANC is. Last year, and again on March 31 this year, during the Budget speech, party whips were notified by the Speaker that the acting registrar was going to be replaced by an independent registrar.
I quote: “As many complaints and investigations take a political flavour, it is not desirable that employees of the WCPP (Western Cape Provincial Parliament) should be involved in it.
"To enhance public confidence, that breaches of the code of conduct by members will be appropriately investigated and dealt with, an external registrar of members will be proposed for consideration by the House.”
To further suggest that the DA undermines the committee is disingenuous.
We have the utmost respect for the functions and decorum of the House, because we believe in the rule of law, freedom and fairness.
This in stark contrast to the ANC’s Pierre Uys and his colleagues, who continue to undermine the legislature in constant attempts of petty political sabotage, such as in 2015 when they not only disrupted the State of the Province address, but forced the House to disband essentially robbing the people of the Western Cape of an opportunity to hear the premier’s address.