Parliament, Wednesday, 20 March 2019 – The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Petitions and Executive Undertakings today strongly condemned the behaviour of committee member Ms Bronwynn Engelbrecht.
Ms Engelbrecht is of the view that the Sigogo Petition is illegal and should not be investigated by the committee. She lashed out at members and called the committee a disgrace to Parliament and the Constitution.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Mr Dumisani Ximbi, said that the committee is specifically mandated by the NCOP to consider petitions referred to it. The committee has sought advice from Parliament’s legal services on the matter on several occasions. “This behaviour of Honourable Engelbrecht is out of order and we will not allow it to derail the work of the committee” said Mr Ximbi.
According to one of Parliament’s senior legal advisors, Mr Sivive Njikela, the committee agreed to continue with today’s meeting while the legal matters relating to an interdict served on the committee yesterday are being addressed. The committee had, on two previous occasions, subpoenaed officials from the Western Cape provincial legislature, including the Member of the Executive Council on Health, Professor Nomafrench Mbombo. The provincial legislature has subsequently sought a court interdict to stop the committee subpoenaing officials.
Mr Ximbi said that the allegations made in the Sigogo petition, which seeks the intervention of the National Council of Provinces in relation to the Public Service Commission’s alleged cover up of reported irregularities, maladministration, fraud, poor working conditions and victimisation of employees at the Khayelitsha District Hospital, are of a very serious nature and must be addressed urgently.
Despite the failure of the Western Cape officials to account to the committee and disruptions caused by committee members, the committee will continue to draft and submit its report before the NCOP rises on 28 March 2018, Mr Ximbi said.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON PETITIONS AND EXECUTIVE UNDERTAKINGS, MR DUMISANI XIMBI.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Felicia Lombard
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8285
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E-mail: flombard@parliament.gov.za
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