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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West notes the ANC’s Interim Provincial Committee’s (IPC) decision to suspend the party membership of five of its members in the Provincial Legislature, including the membership of Premier Job Mokgoro, as announced yesterday.

This suspension of party membership is an internal ANC matter and is limited to the ANC’s own party political activities.

The instruction by the IPC that three members will continue with their legislative work, with one member wholly suspended, and that the Premier will continue with his executive work in government, subject to coordination with the ANC’s Chief Whip in the North West Provincial Legislature, is unconstitutional.

The IPC’s instruction blurs the line between Party and State. The position of Premier is a constitutional creation and is subject to the oversight of the entire Legislature, that is subject to the oversight of all political parties represented, not just by the ANC.

According to Rule 32.1 of the Legislature’s Standing Rules and Orders, the responsibility of the Chief Whip of the Majority Party is largely limited to ensuring the effective coordination of the business of the legislature in consultation with other political parties. The function of the Leader of Government Business is largely limited to coordinating the schedule of government with that of the Legislature.

It is ironic that the ANC, who has claimed to be a champion of multi-party democracy, is now crying about the vibrancy such a multi-party democracy brings within the Legislature. Our mandate is to operate in the best interests of the people of North West, and not in the best interests of the ANC, which by the way, seeks only to consolidate power of one ANC faction over another in order to enjoy access to the public purse.

The people of the North West have endured the dysfunctional governance of the ANC for far too long. This is the result of a dysfunctional ANC. The factional battles playing out contributes to the collapse in governance and the delivery of services. After more than two years, the ANC’s IPC has been unable to stabilise the ANC in the province and that is because the ANC is beyond any salvation.

Issued by The DA