The National Assembly has recently approved a report from the Rules Committee that recommends the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee under the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises. This committee will have the responsibility of overseeing the role of Electricity Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. The decision to create this committee comes as an attempt to improve Parliamentary oversight of the electricity department.
The Need for Oversight
The African National Congress (ANC) Deputy Chief Whip, Doris Dlakude, supports the decision to allocate the oversight of the Ministry of Electricity to the Portfolio of Public Enterprises. She argues that the current committee already has the necessary expertise and experience in the sector. Additionally, Dlakude believes that Parliamentary scrutiny will contribute to resolving issues such as load shedding.
However, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) expressed their objections to the adoption of the report. The EFF argues that the current committee is already overwhelmed with State-Owned Entities and therefore cannot effectively oversee the electricity department. Suzan Thembekwayo, an EFF MP, believes that creating a separate committee would have been a more appropriate solution.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) also proposed the establishment of a separate portfolio committee instead of allocating the ad hoc committee to the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises. DA MP Annelie Lotriet emphasizes the urgent need for oversight and accountability in the electricity sector. She cites the recent increase in load shedding and claims that the country is in desperate need of improvement in this area.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) MP, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, argues that the establishment of the Electricity Ministry is a temporary measure and should not have been created in the first place. Hlengwa believes that assigning a new portfolio committee may be counterproductive and cause delays in addressing the electricity crisis.
On the other hand, Wouter Wessels, an FF-Plus MP, rejects the notion that budget constraints prevent the creation of a new Electricity Portfolio Committee. He suggests that the solution to the electricity crisis lies in getting rid of the current government, rather than creating a new ministry or committee. Wessels also proposes cutting unnecessary expenses, such as catering, to allocate more resources towards oversight efforts.
Key Takeaways
- The National Assembly has approved the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to oversee the role of the Electricity Minister.
- The African National Congress supports the decision, citing the expertise of the existing committee and the importance of parliamentary scrutiny.
- The Economic Freedom Fighters argue that the current committee is already overwhelmed and a separate committee should have been created.
- The Democratic Alliance emphasizes the urgent need for oversight and accountability due to the increasing issue of load shedding.
- The Inkatha Freedom Party believes that the establishment of the Electricity Ministry is a temporary measure.
- The FF-Plus rejects the idea that budget constraints prevent the creation of a new committee and suggests cutting unnecessary expenses.
In conclusion, the decision to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to oversee the role of the Electricity Minister reflects the growing concerns regarding the electricity sector in South Africa. While there are differing opinions on the most effective approach to oversight, it is clear that there is a need for improved governance and accountability in this critical area. With load shedding becoming an increasing issue, it is crucial for the government to prioritize finding effective solutions to address the electricity crisis.
