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The DA challenges the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, to explain to the South African people why he is so determined in preventing us from conducting oversight at Forensic Science Laboratories (FCLs) countrywide.

Today the DA was once again barred in conducting these crucial visits at both the Johannesburg and Pretoria FCLs.

Section 55 (2) of the Constitution allows for Parliament to ensure that all executive organs of state in the national sphere of government are accountable to it and to maintain oversight of the exercise of national executive authority.

It is now time for Minister Motsoaledi, to stop dodging accountability and come clean to South Africans on the following:

• Under which Legislation, Rule of Parliament or parliamentary convention, does the Minister hold the affirmation that individual oversight activities must be pre-approved?
• Did the Minister direct the Deputy Director General of the Health department, to communicate via SMS that my oversight activities were to be hindered?
• Does the Minister contend that Section 55 (2) of the Constitution does not apply to him specifically or the Health Department more generally?

The DA will continue to use all the parliamentary process and procedures that are available to us for the application of the rights that the Constitution envisaged to enforce accountability.

Issued by DA