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The Zuma administration continues to show its disrespect for parliament and the constitutional principle of an executive accountable to the people's representatives. Nine cabinet ministers, including the ministers of Basic Education, Energy, Economic Development, Health, Home Affairs, Higher Education and Training, Tourism and Trade and Industry, were absent in the National Assembly yesterday.

Their failure to attend this important sitting undermined the Consideration of Votes and Schedules for the Adjustments Appropriation Bill, where members of parliament are given the opportunity to ask questions to ministers regarding changes in the budget for each ministry.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will request that explanations are provided by all ministers who failed to attend the sitting yesterday, and will continue to push for amendments to the rules to the National Assembly, so that parliament can properly hold the executive to account.

Without any apologies being distributed to political parties prior to the sitting, thereby preventing members from planning their questions accordingly, this failure by ministers to attend the sitting is yet another example of the executive's disrespect for parliament's oversight role over the executive and represents a closing down of debate and discussion on important issues before parliament.

Unfortunately, this latest incident is part of a wider trend. The Zuma administration's disrespect for parliament has become increasingly evident over time, with numerous ministers failing to attend oral questions sittings during the course of the year. These included the Minister of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Minister of Public Works, Minister of Transport, Minister of Higher Education and Training, Minister of Sport and Recreation, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Minister of Police, Minister of State Security, Minister of Defense and Military Veterans and the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.

The DA believes that, as intended by our constitution and in keeping with core democratic principles, parliament should be a forum for debate and discussion, and not merely a rubber stamp for the executive.