Cape Town - MPs are calling for a Special Appropriations Bill to be tabled to allow Parliament to operate outside of the precinct with the medium and long-term plans unclear after the fire that gutted parts of the institution.
Political parties said the special appropriations by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana would enable the national legislature to continue working outside the precinct.
The State of the National Address was held in the Cape Town City Hall, but the budget speech would be delivered by Godongwana in one of the venues in the Parliamentary precinct.
Parliament officials and presiding officers were looking at options outside the precinct where MPs could conduct their business.
The Cape Town International Convention Centre and the City Hall were on the cards as possible future venues.
But the issue of huge costs for using outside venues was part of the agenda in the programming committee this week.
ACDP MP Steve Swart and UDM chief whip Nqabayomzi Kwankwa said the issue of the Special Appropriations Bill should be considered, with Godongwana set to deliver his budget speech on Wednesday.
Swart said it was good that Godongwana would deliver his speech from the Parliamentary precinct.
“I think it’s important for us to be seen on the precinct itself. I think the issue of costing is very important. Given the fact that the budget is announced next week, one might have to have the Special Appropriations Bill should the cost escalate.
“We need to be mindful of the balance of us being in Parliament physically... and... the financial constraints facing the nation as a whole,” said Swart.
Kwankwa said it was important that at some point PMs physically return to Parliament where they can be more effective in holding ministers accountable.
“Indeed, there will come a time where we will have to consider a Special Appropriations Bill like we have done for entities, but do so responsibly. But the process that is to be undertaken by (acting Secretary to Parliament Baby Tyawa) is very important in that we need to make sure that we don’t rush the process; the costing is done responsibly so that there are no unnecessary cost overruns in future where we find ourselves as this body, as this collective and the political leadership of Parliament having to account,” said Kwankwa.
DA deputy chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said Tyawa and her team would have to submit a report that was requested by the chief whips forum and the programming committee on the costs and financial implications for using venues outside of parliament.
Political Bureau