National Assembly (NA) Speaker, Mr Max Sisulu, has informed leader of the Democratic Alliance in Parliament, Ms Lindiwe Mazibuko that her request for a debate on South Africa’s economic prospects cannot be acceded to.
The rules of the NA provide for debates on matters of public importance and these rules are supplemented by criteria which the Speaker has to apply when considering requests for debates.
The criteria state that the matter proposed for debate must be specific and that the request for a debate will not be granted if the matter can be considered by some other means, other than a debate.
South Africa’s economic prospects are certainly an important matter, which may warrant a discussion in the NA, but the subject is not of such immediate concern to warrant Mr Sisulu’s overruling the NA’s programme to schedule such a debate.
Ms Mazibuko was advised to consider proposing the topic for discussion during a plenary of the NA. It would then be the responsibility of the whips to propose – at the Chief Whips’ Forum and the Programme Committee - that the NA considers the motion.
The last meeting of the multiparty NA Programme Committee, on 15 August, approved the current programme.
At the same meeting Mr Sisulu proposed that, where necessary, Fridays and possibly weekends be considered for sittings and that sittings be held well into the night. These measures are being considered to manage the large number of bills and other business coming before the House. A number of committees are already meeting outside of normal working hours, including weekends.
