CAPE TOWN, November 17 (ANA) – Ruling party MPs who missed the vote on the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill this week, preventing its passage through Parliament because the National Assembly lacked a quorum, will be disciplined, Cabinet spokesman Jeff Radebe said on Thursday.
He told a post-Cabinet media briefing the matter would be dealt with by the Political Committee of the ANC, which is headed by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“We are concerned as Cabinet because we discussed it yesterday about the failure of Parliament on Tuesday to pass that bill.
“So that is why I am saying that those who were not in Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday without any justifiable cause, our view is that action must be taken against those members because it is very bad for Parliament not to be able to pass what is essentially a budget because without a budget the government’s programme can never be implemented because it is very bad.”
MPs from the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters walked out in protest before voting on the bill on both days in what has become a customary opposition move to delay its passage. On both days, the absence of a large number of ANC MPS, including ministers, meant that the vote on the bill had to stand over.
“I cannot talk for other political parties but the governing party we have a structure called the POCA chaired by the deputy president – I am part of that team – we are going to be meeting in order to deal with this matter,” Radebe said.
He confirmed that he was in the chamber on both occassions. Ramaphosa was also present.
ANC chief Jackson Mthembu was due to address a media briefing on the subject on Thursday afternoon.
– African News Agency (ANA)
