Cape Town — ActionSA and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have opposed the election of Rise Mzansi leader, Songezo Zibi, as the chairperson for the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA).
In a statement, Rise Mzansi congratulated Zibi on his new position and said SCOPA is one of the most critical committees in Parliament and is responsible for the people’s money, and holding people accountable. It described SCOPA as an oversight committee.
“Scopa now has a new leader who will work with and for the people of South Africa to ensure that money is spent and accounted for in the pursuit of building a safe, prosperous, equal, and united South Africa,” Rise Mzansi said.
According to SABC News, the position of SCOPA chairperson has traditionally gone to a member of an opposition party, but this time it has been awarded to a member of the Government of National Unity (GNU). The ANC’s Lusizo Makhubela-Mashela nominated Zibi to be the chairperson.
Asizile amaposta e Rise Mzansi, Umholi waleli qembu, u Songezo Zibi, sengusihlalo wekomidi elibalulekile ePhalamende i SCOPA. #CapeStorm #CapeTown Shivambu Bellingham England Southgate #ToshDetergents Small Business Matters #Nganele pic.twitter.com/JYALw6cfGj
— Shaka Nkosi Zulu🤺 (@ZuluNewsAgency) July 11, 2024
Zibi was elected unopposed and, while most parties were satisfied with his appointment, some parties were opposed to it, including the EFF and ActionSA.
The EFF’s Veronica Mente rejected Zibi’s appointment as a matter of principle that went against the appointment of an opposition aprty member.
“We reject this. Not reject you as a person but principle. The principle and convention of Parly is that the opposition must Chair Scopa. And as things stand, the decision to govern as GNU after May 29 which your party is part of, don’t consider your party as opposition,” Mente said.
ActionSA also condemned Zibi’s appointment, with the party’s caucus leader, Athol Trollip, saying it marks a “troubling departure from our own National Assembly and international best practice”.
“This position now being gifted to a member of the multi-party government/“GNU” which already commands a 70% majority in Parliament serves to potentially neuter effective oversight over government expenditure and outcomes related performance,” he said,
“This appointment is therefore nothing less than a reward for the leader of Rize Mzansi for their participation in the multi-party government,” he added.
Trollip said the GNU needs to be held accountable by strong opposition and even more so after the appointment of such a large cabinet amid concerns of political brinkmanship.
“ActionSA however remains committed to performing its role as a constructive opposition without fear or favour from its committee assignments even if the new multi-party coalition has abandoned even the illusion of respect for objective and independent accountability,” he added.
The election of Rise Mzansi’s Hon. Songezo Zibi MP, as Chairperson of SCOPA, marks a troubling departure from our own National Assembly and international best practice of electing a member of an opposition party to the position.https://t.co/WHIpKWFZej
The Government of…
— ActionSA (@Action4SA) July 10, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
