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Legislature to the people gives skewed impression of success

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The recent media reports of the success of the annual Taking the Legislature to the People, which was held in Cofimvaba last week, needs correction.

The event, dubbed to take democracy to the people, was in fact a farce.

The event was an organised ANC road-show to hide the failings of the ruling party.

Unlike previous years the answering of oral questions by MECs from MPLs was not allowed.

Secondly the highly contentious ward committee motion submitted by the DA at a previous legislature sitting last month was also not debated.

The motion, which seeks to have ward committee elections nullified in areas where the process did not take place legitimately, is time sensitive.

Finally on the Thursday the primed public were heckling the opposition parties.

This conduct is unbecoming of public behaviour in parliament.

As all opposition parties were not prepared to be belittled a caucus was convened where it was decided to stage a walk-out should the Speaker not protect the opposition from public abuse.

When this plan was leaked to the ANC, and quick work to the volatile public had to be undertaken to prevent an opposition walk-out and thrust the entire process of Legislature to the People into chaos.

Therefore the public must not be fooled; the Legislature to the People is ostensibly an ANC shop window where sweetheart issues are discussed and robust debate on failings of the ruling party be shielded from public discourse.

Dacre Haddon, MPL

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.