Dear Editor
The Inkatha Freedom Party expresses its concern that the ruling party seeks to push Bills through parliament without following due process as enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa.
Sections 72 and 118 of the Constitution requires that the South African public must be given the opportunity to have its voice heard when laws are being crafted. This public consultative process is the platform for ordinary citizens and interest groups to have their say in the law making process – laws that affect their day to day lives.
There are about 20 Bills that are attempted to be rushed through the Legislature without giving ordinary South Africans and interest groups fair opportunity to voice their opinions. Some of these Bills have been in the pipeline for about three (3) years now. The IFP questions the motive behind rushing to pass these Bills.
In considering these Bills before us today, the IFP is of the view that the process of public consultation has been deeply flawed and our citizens were not given the opportunity to be part of the law making process.
The Programming Committee of the Legislature is now dysfunctional and is being dictated to by a cabal within the ANC caucus.
The IFP also notes with concern that recently at sittings of this Legislature, most MECs are absent and questions put to MECs are not answered within the legislated timeframes. This is an indication either that there are serious divisions among the provincial caucus of the ANC and some MECs are more concerned with electioneering than with accounting to KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.
Therefore the IFP caucus decided not to be part of a process that denies our citizens their rights and subsequently walked out of the House. This decision was prompted by the absence of most of the MECs including the Premier of the province and many members of the ruling party MPLs.
Blessed Gwala
