Cape Town - Acting House chairperson Wendy Kaizer-Philander (DA) had a tough time keeping order in the legislature on Thursday when there was an uproar from the opposition, who wanted to know what was happening with the post of speaker.
Confronted by a volley of points of order from the opposition, who wanted to know who would replace Masizole Mnqasela, whose DA membership was stripped earlier this week, Kaizer-Philander said members were aware of possible litigation that might impact processes of the legislature and that they would be kept abreast.
This did not satisfy the opposition ANC, with MPL Nomi Nkondlo grinding on a point of order and asking: “Where is the speaker? We read in papers that he might be removed as speaker and is no longer a member of the DA.”
As this was happening, it emerged that a number of members had not received the order paper which would guide them through the afternoon‘s proceedings.
When they eventually received them, they saw that DA acting chief whip Deidré Baartman had placed an “under-the-line motion” for discussion in which she referred to “the former speaker”.
In the motion, Baartman said the secretary of the legislature would be authorised to act on behalf of the legislature in respect of any litigation in which the legislature was cited.
She said as long as the position of speaker remained vacant, the secretary should perform “functions pertaining to the receipt and communication of statutory and relevant information and documentation.”
Leader of the opposition Cameron Dugmore then quoted the provincial constitution, which says the legislature’s first order of business in the absence of a speaker is to elect one from among the members.
He said Baartman’s motion was the clearest indication that there was no speaker and that the next step should be to contact the president of the Constitutional Court to appoint a judge to preside over the election of a new speaker. He urged that the House be adjourned for this process to be enabled.
After more noise from both sides, Premier Alan Winde suggested that the process be rerun and when Kaizer-Philander agreed to this, Dugmore accused her of taking orders from the executive. There then followed more uproar, eventually forcing KaizerPhilander to twice adjourn proceedings while she consulted with the whips from either side of the House and the leaders of the smaller parties.
The meetings were held behind closed doors and the discussions were not publicly shared, but whatever was said seemed to have cooled temperatures. After the sitting resumed, Kaizer-Philander apologised for what she called “extraordinary circumstances” which made it very difficult for the motion to be heard.
It was resolved that Baartman’s motion had been passed and the legislature could continue with the business of the day, which was the consideration of principle of the Western Cape Adjustments Appropriation Bill.
mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za