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Legislature blocks Trollip’s question about Mandela funeral expenditure for a second time

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The Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature has, for a second time, blocked questions by the DA regarding funding for the funeral of former President Nelson Mandela.

In correspondence received from the Legislature, I am informed that “…the oral question cannot be included in its original format or otherwise on the next IQP containing oral questions…”.

This is in response to my objection that my original question was subverted by the legislature to exclude reference to the Premier, Phumulo Masualle’s personal bank account.

The reasons given are not only spurious, they are inconsistent with the Speaker, Noxolo Kiviet’s ruling in the original questions session where she disallowed me the opportunity to ask a follow-up question to the Premier.

This was done after I protested that the question the Premier was answering was not mine.  According to the transcript I said:  “First, on a point of order, this is not the question I asked the Premier”.  For the transcript, click here.

Since this debacle the Premier and his spin doctors have tried to explain the transfer of public funds into his personal account as a conspiracy.  If this was indeed a conspiracy, the question that must be asked is, what does the Premier and the legislature fear from answering a very straight forward question from the opposition?

Why does the newly elected Premier not take the opportunity to take the legislature into his confidence and explain the whole situation to the legislature and to the public?

One would have thought that this would be an ideal opportunity to put this embarrassing saga to bed once and for all.  Instead, each week and month since the sad funeral of former President Nelson Mandela more and more intrigue and embarrassment around this funding fiasco has surfaced.

The DA will not allow the legislature, nor the ANC to sweep the matter under the carpet.  We will use every avenue at our disposal to fulfil our electoral mandate to hold the executive and the government to account.

Athol Trollip, MPL

Trollip originally asked:

  1. Whether money was paid into his personal bank account for the State funeral of the late President Nelson Mandela.  If so,  (a) what was the exact amount that was paid into his account; (b) by whom and (c) what was the reason for the payment and by whom was it authorised?
  2. Whether the total amount can be accounted for.  If so, what are the details?
  3. Whether the correct prescripts were followed in term of the prescripts of financial and procurement regulations?  If so, what are the details?  If not, (a) why not and (b) what action will be taken for this unlawful expenditure?
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Port Elizabethan

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