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Cabi
net has asked Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka to
interact with the leadership of parliament to resolve the matter of
"vexatious" questions and those that require such detailed research
that they "could bog down" personnel, government spokesman Joel
Netshitenzhe said today.
"The meeting noted queries that have arisen in a number of
departments with regard to some recent questions that have been
received from Parliament," Netshitenzhe said, briefing the media on
the latest cabinet meeting.
"Cabinet wishes to reiterate the commitment of the Executive to
uphold the status of Parliament, including the obligation of the
Executive to account to this body as provided for in the
Constitution, and in pursuit of good governance."
"In order to ensure that this principle continues to be realised in
actual practice, Cabinet has asked the Deputy President, as leader
of government business, to interact with the leadership of
Parliament and seek advice on how to resolve issues pertaining to
questions that may be vexatious and repetitive, require detailed
personal information about employees, and demand such detailed
research that they could bog down personnel and prevent them from
fulfilling their other core functions, particularly to service
citizens," Netshitenzhe said.
Netshitenzhe later said that the matter arose in cabinet also as a
result of the recent refusal of Safety and Security Minister
Charles Nqakula to answer questions in parliament, saying that he
did not wish to compromise certain "operational" matters of the
police.
"Cabinet is confident that this issue will be resolved to the
satisfaction of all, within the context of Parliament's own rules,"
Netshitenzhe told reporters.
Separately, cabinet approved for submission to parliament the
Prohibition of Mercenary Activity and Prohibition and Regulation of
Certain Activities in an Area of Armed Conflict Bill, which seeks
to tighten up earlier legislation on foreign military assistance
that government had found to contain a number of loopholes.
Among steps taken to close earlier loopholes were a proper
definition of a "conflict area as well as a proper definition of
what constitutes "foreign military assistance", said Netshitenzhe,
citing as an example the matter of South African security personnel
working in war-torn Iraq.
"The new legislation is trying to close gaps in earlier
legislation rather than introduce new principles," Netshitenzhe
said. - BuaNews
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