Note to Editors: Please see attached soundbite by Emma Louise Powell MP
On 18–19 February, the South African Parliament will host the SA-EU Inter-Parliamentary Meeting (IPM).
During deliberations on the programme, the European Parliament expressed interest in bilateral engagements with all major political parties prior to the formal IPM.
Despite numerous follow-up attempts with the Parliamentary International Relations Office, which is responsible for meeting logistics, the Democratic Alliance (DA) was informed on 13 February that these bilateral engagements would not proceed.
On 14 February, the DA then received notice that the South African delegation would consist solely of ANC members, while DA representatives would be granted “observer” status and would not be permitted to speak during Parliamentary dialogues with European counterparts.
Given the current global state of affairs, South Africa’s increasingly fragile position in international relations, and the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) — in which the DA plays a significant role — the DA then submitted an appeal to the Speaker of Parliament to ensure diverse representation.
This appeal was declined.
Since pre-engagements with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were cancelled, the most appropriate alternative would have been to include a diverse contingent of delegates from other GNU partners, ensuring a broad spectrum of perspectives in these crucial discussions.
The DA cannot accept the notion that parliamentary engagement with our European partners will be conducted from a unilateral standpoint, where the ANC purports to carry the full mandate of South African perspectives.
This is especially concerning given that opportunities for alternative engagements were initially considered but later completely disregarded by Parliament.
The DA will now seek direct opportunities to engage with European Union MEPs, working to strengthen diplomatic ties, promote democratic values, and advocate for balanced and inclusive representation of South Africa’s political landscape in international forums.