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Despite an initial show of support for the Democratic Alliance (DA) proposal to establish a portfolio committee dedicated to overseeing the Presidency, the first meeting of the multiparty team tasked with investigating the committee's formation, which was due to meet last Thursday, was abruptly cancelled. This decision was taken in the face of insistence by DA representatives at the Chief Whips' Forum that the matter be tackled with a sense of urgency and that the task team met before the looming six week recess.

Discussions about the establishment of the presidential portfolio committee are set to resume at the end of July at the very earliest.

The reason for the cancellation of the meeting was that sufficient terms of reference and a clear mandate had not yet been established for the task team. In the knowledge of these omissions, quite why a meeting was arranged in the first place is unclear. Questions have also been raised about whether the ANC has even submitted nominations for its representatives to serve on this body.

The ANC's lack of political will in tackling this matter is symptomatic of a party which places little value on accountability. Such conduct undermines the very foundations on which our democracy rests.

In recent weeks, division has arisen over which components of the Presidency would be subject to oversight by the proposed committee. The ruling party favours this being limited to the two ministries in the Presidency, leaving the President, and 93% of the Presidency's budget, unaccounted for.

The fact that the Presidency's budget of R727 million is subject to no dedicated legislative scrutiny has failed to fill the ANC with any sense of immediacy. In fact, it has done quite the opposite. It seems that it is exactly because President Jacob Zuma's office embodies the very worst characteristics of the ANC in government - a bloated budget, poor decision making and a lack of accountability - that the ruling party is resistant to opening this potential can of political worms to public scrutiny and parliamentary accountability.

The ANC has found itself in a compromised position. Had it rejected the DA's proposal for a presidential portfolio committee outright, it would have rightly been subject to criticism of its resistance to resolve this glaring blind spot in legislative oversight. However, the ANC has also shown that it is also reluctant to have the actions of the Presidency, and its considerable budget, be subjected to any examination.

The DA will continue to use all available mechanisms to tackle the ANC's lethargy and apparent undermining of the establishment of this vital oversight body, and will push for the multiparty task team to commence its investigations as a matter of urgency.