An incident was brought to the attention of Parliament about a member of the public who was allegedly asked to leave a meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans.
This obviously is a serious matter for Parliament. The Constitution says Parliament must facilitate public access and involvement in its legislative and other processes, must conduct its business in an open manner and hold its House sittings and those of its Committees in public.
According to the Constitution, the public, including the media, may not be excluded from a Committee sitting unless it is reasonable and justifiable to do so in an open and democratic society.
We have asked the Chairperson of the Committee to submit a report on the request for Mr Tim Flack, the Western Cape organiser of the South African National Defence Union, to leave the meeting. We also obtained Mr Flack’s account of the matter.
After considering all the relevant facts, a pronouncement will be made.
