Mapisa-Nqakula to ask Ramaphosa to answer Phala Phala questions

Cape Town – National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said she will write to President Cyril Ramaphosa asking him to furnish a date so that he could respond to unanswered parliamentary questions about the Phala Phala farmgate scandal.

On Thursday, the programme committee heard that the chief whips forum did not reach a consensus on how the matter should be handled.

This was after Mapisa-Nqakula adjourned the question and answer session two days ago.

Opposition parties demanded that Ramaphosa answer a question posed by ATM leader Vuyo Zungula when he said he has been counselled not to answer the matter pending investigations into the break-in and theft on his farm.

The ANC was adamant that he provided an answer and that there was a parliamentary mechanism to take the matter if parties were dissatisfied with the answer that was provided.

Mapisa-Nqakula said there was a deadlock breaking mechanism which allowed her to consult with ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina and the leader of government business, Deputy President David Mabuza, to make a decision on the matter.

“I will be meeting with the chief whip of the majority party together with the leader of government business, to ask for his audience, so that we can finalise this matter and bring something tangible to you,” she said.

Mapisa-Nqakula also said the planned meeting would take place before the end of the week whilst she wrote a letter to Ramaphosa.

“I am going to write a letter to the president to request a date so that we can finish and complete this business.

“Honourable members, as you are aware that I cannot make a determination on the availability of he president, I am not the one who runs his diary, so I will just write to the president and I would expect that the president will then respond and advice on a date of his availability,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.

Some parties want Ramaphosa to return to Parliament next week to answer the question while the governing party said the questions could be catered at the next scheduled session on September 29.

There is also differing views on whether he should provide a fresh response or answer the supplementary questions.

Cape Times

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