Fierce opposition marks election of RISE Mzanzi’s Zibi as public accounts watchdog and Maimane as appropriations officer
RISE Mzansi leader and member of the National Assembly, Songezo Zibi, was elected on Wednesday as chair of the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), succeeding Deputy Minister of Transport of the IFP, Mkhuleko Hlengwa.
Zibi, in the new administration, will work as Parliament’s watchdog to ensure the purses of governmental departments and other state-owned institutions are accounted for according to due process.
According to various media outlets, Zibi was nominated by ANC’s Lusizo Makhubela and seconded by the DA’s Patrick Atkinson.
Although attaining his new position unopposed, Veronica Mente from the EFF said Zibi was undeserving as RISE Mzansi is part of the broad coalition government
Concurring with Mente, ActionSA caucus leader in Parliament, Athol Trollip, said the GNU ‘gifted’ Zibi a position, which by protocol, is supposed to be chaired by an opposition party MP.
“The election of Zibi, as chairperson of Scopa, marks a troubling departure from our own National Assembly and international best practice. The multi-party government now clearly wishes to exercise oversight over itself by deploying one of its own to head up this critical oversight committee.
“This position now being gifted to a member of the multi-party government, which already commands a 70% majority in Parliament serves to potentially neuter effective oversight over government expenditure and outcomes related performance,” said Trollip.
Despite negative reactions from opposition parties, Zibi seemed eager to start working and hold officials accountable.
“I look forward to working with all political parties represented in Scopa, because South Africans expect to see the work of Parliament be done. This is a massive responsibility I do not take lightly, because the use and abuse of public funds is the one thing that angers South Africans and they look to Parliament, MPs and public representatives to make sure they get the accountability they deserve- they work very hard for their tax. I am a servant of this committee and to the people of this country,” said Zibi.
In the same light, Build One South Africa (Bosa) leader Mmusi Maimane landed himself as chairperson of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Appropriations (Scoa).
In a statement, Bosa acting spokesperson, Roger Solomons, noted Maimane will have his hands full in his new position as “it is a vital financial and budget-orientated committee”.
“The mandate of Scoa includes all areas of government spending, amendments to key pieces of legislation: Division of Revenue Bill, Appropriation Bill, recommendations of the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC), and consideration of reports on actual expenditure published by the National Treasury,” said Solomons.
Solomons added that Maimane will serve the committee ethically.
“Maimane said he would ensure the committee performs in its responsibility to provide both oversight of the way the government spends public money, and hold any wrongdoers accountable,” he said.
The Star
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