Note to editors: Please find attached soundbite by Siviwe Gwarube MP.
The DA began an inclusive Parliamentary process of drafting legislation that would stabilise coalition governments in October of 2022. We sought the inputs of other political parties represented in Parliament in order to make sure when we get to the drafting process, we would have incorporated their diversity of views. The ANC could not be bothered to participate at the time.
Now, it has become apparent during the National Dialogue hosted by the Presidency over the past two days that the ANC has been desperately trying to hijack this process. In their desperate move to play catch up; they have sought to undermine the law-making process already underway in Parliament and made a mockery of the intention of the dialogue where proposals from various parties were meant to be sought.
The Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Parks Tau, made it clear yesterday that government has drafted a piece of legislation that speaks to most of the issues in the DA Bills which were submitted to Parliament last year. If the ANC government had identified key proposals in our Bills which they want to support, they should support the pieces of legislation when they come to Parliament.
Developing parallel legislation which borrow extensively from the draft Bills brought by the DA is operating in bad faith. It also makes a mockery of this process which the Deputy President hurriedly put together. The inputs made by political parties in the past two days have been in vain, since the outcome is already decided upon.
The purported ‘meeting of the minds’ between the DA and the ANC is nothing more than the governing party hijacking the DA’s legislative proposals already in Parliament.
The DA will continue with its law-making process. It is our view that these Bills will go a long way to stabilise coalition governments. Research shows that the ANC will likely lose their 50% majority next year and a number of provinces may be led by coalition governments. That is why we need to prepare the ground work for stable and accountable governments. These laws are not designed to prop up a failing ANC. They are designed to protect the citizens of South Africa.