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The IFP has condemned what appears to be contempt of Parliament by the ANC whose leadership in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature has allowed the provincial executive to go ahead with the tabling of the 2010/2011 budget before allowing Parliament to clear the way for this budget.

"To date the Legislature has not deliberated and voted on the latest set of SCOPA resolutions, some of which impose first charges against the very budget that is being tabled today," said Leader of the Official Opposition in KwaZulu-Natal Dr Bonginkosi Buthelezi.

During its hearings in January and February 2010, SCOPA adopted resolutions that for the first time penalise unauthorised expenditure in the departments of Health, Education and Transport in terms of the PFMA by incurring first charges against the budgets of these departments in the 2010/2011 financial year.

"The SCOPA resolutions in question were expected to be deliberated and voted on in the Legislature on 25 February 2010 but at the last minute the order paper was modified to cancel this debate," said Dr Buthelezi.

Despite not having been given the green light by the Legislature, the MEC for Finance has gone ahead with incorporating the financial implications of these SCOPA resolutions in the 2010/2011 provincial budget.

"By by-passing one of the fundamental functions of the Legislature, the ANC has effectively rendered this institution irrelevant," said Dr Buthelezi.