The ANC chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament, actively and repeatedly silenced DA members, and did everything in her power to prohibit probing questions to the Executive Authority on issues surrounding the astronomical salary increases of the Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George.
The ANC chair, together with other members of the ANC circled their wagons around Xolile George and actively defended the STP being paid R5 million a year by the taxpayer. The repeated message from ANC was that the matter involving the appointment of Xolile George be closed and never reopened.
The DA has lodged a complaint with the Public Protector and has written to the President requesting an SIU investigation. These bodies must investigate the appointment of Xolile George as Secretary of Parliament, his astronomical salary, and alleged irregular payments during the 2023 BRICS Parliamentary Forum.
Why are the ANC committee members protecting him by sweeping serious allegations of maladministration, a dubious appointment process and alleged financial mismanagement under the rug? How can the ANC support the STP being paid more than R5 million per year while the majority of South Africans can’t make ends meet?
Not only has the ANC lost touch with the needs of South Africans but are now actively undermining the accountability function of Parliament. Parliament is the voice of the people, and by obstructing committee members from questioning the serious irregularities around the STP appointment, the ANC is silencing the voices of South Africans.
Despite the personal attacks by ANC and MK members on DA members during the meeting, the DA will not be bullied, and it will not be silenced.
We will continue to expose this issue in the interest of transparency, and in the belief that crooks should be held accountable.