DA aims to make MPs perform

THE DA has thrown down the gauntlet and insisted newly appointed Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa must present plans to call errant and lacklustre MPs to order.

DA chief whip John Steenhuisen said yesterday he intended to call his counterpart in the ANC, Stone Sizani, to invite Ramaphosa to set out a plan of action to ensure MPs were held fully accountable for their mandated roles.

"In the fourth parliament, the executive demonstrated a disdain for parliamentary oversight over the executive in a bid to avoid responsibility for their departments."

He said as the record stood only 17% of oral questions asked by members in the house were answered by ministers, seven ministers did not attend a single oral question session and five ministers "saw fit" to come to parliament only once to answer a question. - Denise Williams