Zuma assets matter in Parly
2010-03-11 20:12
Cape Town - DA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip has asked National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu, to allow an urgent question to be tabled to President Jacob Zuma about his failure to declare his interests timeously.
Zuma filed his declaration on Wednesday - some eight months after the 60-day deadline stipulated in the Executive Members Ethics Act.
In the question, Trollip asks Zuma for the "full circumstances regarding your failure to comply" with the requirements of the Executive Ethics Code, in particular, his failure to register his interests within 60 days of taking office, as required by the code.
"How do you reconcile this failure with the requirements of the oath you undertook on being sworn into office, to 'obey, observe, uphold and maintain the Constitution and all other law of the Republic', and... whether you will make an apology to Parliament and the country, if not, why not?" the question concludes.
Parliament's rules allowed for an urgent question to be tabled to any member of Cabinet, including the president and the deputy president.
The rules and procedures for the Assembly stated that such a question should be handed to the Speaker and the Speaker should then consult with the leader of government business before approving it.
Wealth audits
Zuma also needed to make public his view on wealth audits in the light of his recent non-compliance - given that he himself had failed to adhere to the very regulatory mechanisms that he mooted as being suitable checks on public representatives' financial interests.
"It is the DA's firm belief that the president must now account for his actions, both to Parliament, and in turn, to the South African public, to whom he owes a full and detailed explanation."
The Democratic Alliance was also pursuing this matter through other avenues, including a complaint lodged with the Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, Trollip said.
Madonsela had acknowledged receipt of the complaint and given the assurance the investigation would be carried out immediately and in compliance with the time line stipulated by the Executive Members Ethics Act.
"I will also examine the law to establish if deviation then from the requirement that the report be submitted to the President will be appropriate in the circumstances. I will revert to you as soon as I have progress to report," Madonsela said in her reply to Trollip.
- SAPA