ID outraged about FW
2004-05-10 10:55
Cape Town - The Independent Democrats has expressed outrage at plans to allow former president F W de Klerk to address a special sitting of both houses of parliament ahead of former president Nelson Mandela on Monday.
ID leader Patricia de Lille said the ANC and NNP had dishonoured the event violating the rules of parliament by unilaterally taking a decision allowing De Klerk to speak.
Since only current serving heads of State were allowed to address parliament, a special resolution was passed allowing Mandela to speak.
"Parliament is an institution that needs the greatest respect. It is not a speakers club. We also point out that Mr De Klerk was never head of state of the democratic South Africa," said De Lille.
She said while the ID supported reconciliation and nation building, the party questioned allowing De Klerk to address both houses of parliament without following parliamentary principles.
"Reconciliation is a process. It cannot be switched on or off for the purposes of political exploitation and expediency as the NNP-ANC have been doing."
- SAPA