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The secret ballot in the motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma, the Guptas’ influence at Eskom, confidence in state-owned enterprises and unemployment are some of the topics Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will have to address when he faces questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane will have two goes at Ramaphosa and three ANC members of Parliament will ask questions.
Another opposition party MP who will get an opportunity to ask a question is Agang SA MP Andries Tlouamma, known for his interesting metaphors when speaking in the House.
Secret ballot
Maimane will ask Ramaphosa whether he offered National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete “his considered views” on whether to allow the motion of no confidence in Zuma on August 8 to be conducted by secret ballot, in accordance with his role as leader of government business, as required by the National Assembly’s rules and, if not, what the position is in this regard, and if so, what the relevant details are.
Patriarchy
ANC MP Phumzile Bhengu-Kombe will refer to Ramaphosa’s speech at the launch of the National Campaign against Violence towards Women and Children on July 30, in which he said that to end violence against women and children, patriarchy in all its forms and manifestations needed to be confronted.
She wants to know what the major manifestations of patriarchy in South African society are that must be confronted and how the government, together with civil society, is planning to reverse entrenched patriarchal relations and attitudes in our society, focusing on the family unit.
Stopping the rot
Tlouamma will ask Ramaphosa how long he has known about “a certain family’s” – this has become Parliamentary parlance for the Guptas – “alleged influence” at Eskom and what action he has taken “to stop this rot”.
State-owned enterprises
ANC MP Ndabakayise Gcwabaza will refer to Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba’s 14-point plan that was developed as part of the economic transformation cluster.
The plan intends to move the economy out of technical recession, and relates to the recapitalisation of the state-owned enterprises and government guarantees, as well as broader state-owned enterprise reform.
Gcwabaza will ask what can be done to ensure investor confidence in the state-owned enterprises and what steps the government has taken to stabilise them in terms of governance and recapitalisation, to advance structural economic transformation and economic growth.
Unemployment crisis
South Africa’s ever-growing unemployment rate is currently at a 14-year high of 27.7%.
Maimane will ask Ramaphosa what steps the government had taken since January 1 to properly address “this crisis”.
Graduates
ANC MP Juli Kilian will refer to Ramaphosa’s welcoming remarks at the 2017 graduation ceremony at the University of Mpumalanga, where he called on the graduates to innovate, contribute and create new opportunities for inclusive and sustainable development, and his role as chairperson of the Human Resource Development Council of South Africa.
She will ask what the government was doing to encourage the post-school education sector to align its programmes to support the human resource development strategy of our country, and how the government was handling the phenomenon of unemployed university and college graduates.
The question session is scheduled for Wednesday at 3pm.
– News24
