Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has seen herself in the public eye again this week after it’s been reported that her attendance to parliament is ‘disgraceful’.
Dlamini-Zuma was due to attend parliament on Monday to discuss the R20 billion which has been allocated to various municipalities to help support the Covid-19 pandemic, however, it was a no show from the minister.
The Minister who holds great power and responsibility in regards to the health and wellbeing of citizens has also been scrutinized previously on her actions when it came to banning cigarettes during the lockdown period.
Dlamini-Zuma’s has used the “excuse” of drafting Level 3 lockdown regulations as the reason for her absence from Parliament.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has said that this is not the first time the minister has failed to attend critical meetings in parliament.
“This is not the first time the Minister has missed critical oversight meetings in Parliament. This year she has only attended one committee meeting – the joint meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs last week – which she left after 30 minutes. Again, using the lockdown as an excuse.”
As an executive member of Parliament, it’s Dlamini-Zuma’s responsibility to address South African’s on the progress of COVID-19 and not through her spokesperson’s or deputies of heads.
“Minister Dlamini-Zuma’s attempts to try and shirk her responsibility also extends further than Parliamentary Committees. Of the 34 written Parliamentary Questions submitted by the DA in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to her Department this past year, only 17 were responded to. That is half of all our questions unanswered.” said George Michalkis MP
