ID’S GREYLING – ‘FORGIVE US FOR TAKING JACKSON MTHEMBU’S CALL FOR A DEBATE ON PARTY FUNDING WITH A PINCH OF SALT’
10 MARCH 2010-ID Chief Whip Lance Greyling says that ‘considering the ANC has been dodging the issue of political party funding for 6 years, we should be forgiven for taking ANC Spokesperson Jackson Mthembu’s call for a debate on this with a full-size pinch of salt.’
ID Chief Whip Lance Greyling says that ‘considering the ANC has been
dodging the issue of political party funding for 6 years, we should be
forgiven for taking ANC Spokesperson Jackson Mthembu’s call for a
debate on this with a full-size pinch of salt.’
The ID MP has written to the Speaker of Parliament [letter below] requesting that he place “a proposal for the establishment of an ad-hoc committee to consider the drafting of legislation to regulate private political party funding”, on the agenda of the next Joint Rules Committee meeting.
‘Now we will see whether the ANC is finally getting serious about an issue that formed a much-publicised resolution at its Polokwane Conference, or whether this is just more empty talk from the ruling party,’ Mr Greyling says.
‘The ID certainly welcomes this statement by Mthembu, but we have heard this all before. In fact, in a High Court case in 2004 the ANC promised that legislation would soon be coming to Parliament to regulate political party funding.
‘But that never happened. The ANC has also for the last two years blocked any debate on the ID’s motion for setting up an ad-hoc committee to draft legislation governing political party funding,’ says Greyling.
‘For the ID, regulations of party funding are crucial if we are to prevent the privatisation of our democracy. We are currently also faced with a situation where all South Africans, whether they support the ANC or not, will be paying money directly into its coffers through increased electricity prices.
‘This debate needs to happen in Parliament and it must lead to comprehensive legislation to regulate party funding. Anything else will be mere rhetoric and represent the ANC’s continued attempts to delay real action being taken on this issue, one which is fundamental to our democracy,’ Greyling says.
For media enquiries, please call Lance Greyling on 083 298 8553
Hon Max Sisulu
Speaker of the National Assembly
Parliament of South Africa
10 March 2010
Dear Hon. Sisulu
RE: Request to Place an Item on the agenda of the Joint Rules Committee
I would like to request that an item be placed on the agenda for next week’s meeting of the Joint Rules Committee. The item that I would like placed on the agenda is a proposal for the establishment of an ad-hoc committee to consider the drafting of legislation to regulate private political party funding. I have discussed the matter with the NA table staff and they have informed that is the appropriate route to follow in order to establish such a committee. As I am sure you will agree this matter needs Parliament’s urgent attention and I have been trying unsuccessfully to get the matter debated in the House for the last two years. I would therefore hope that you would give this issue your urgent attention and that you would do everything in your power to put this proposal on to the agenda of the meeting.
Kind Regards
Lance Greyling, MP
Chief Whip
Independent Democrats
ENDS…
The ID MP has written to the Speaker of Parliament [letter below] requesting that he place “a proposal for the establishment of an ad-hoc committee to consider the drafting of legislation to regulate private political party funding”, on the agenda of the next Joint Rules Committee meeting.
‘Now we will see whether the ANC is finally getting serious about an issue that formed a much-publicised resolution at its Polokwane Conference, or whether this is just more empty talk from the ruling party,’ Mr Greyling says.
‘The ID certainly welcomes this statement by Mthembu, but we have heard this all before. In fact, in a High Court case in 2004 the ANC promised that legislation would soon be coming to Parliament to regulate political party funding.
‘But that never happened. The ANC has also for the last two years blocked any debate on the ID’s motion for setting up an ad-hoc committee to draft legislation governing political party funding,’ says Greyling.
‘For the ID, regulations of party funding are crucial if we are to prevent the privatisation of our democracy. We are currently also faced with a situation where all South Africans, whether they support the ANC or not, will be paying money directly into its coffers through increased electricity prices.
‘This debate needs to happen in Parliament and it must lead to comprehensive legislation to regulate party funding. Anything else will be mere rhetoric and represent the ANC’s continued attempts to delay real action being taken on this issue, one which is fundamental to our democracy,’ Greyling says.
For media enquiries, please call Lance Greyling on 083 298 8553
Hon Max Sisulu
Speaker of the National Assembly
Parliament of South Africa
10 March 2010
Dear Hon. Sisulu
RE: Request to Place an Item on the agenda of the Joint Rules Committee
I would like to request that an item be placed on the agenda for next week’s meeting of the Joint Rules Committee. The item that I would like placed on the agenda is a proposal for the establishment of an ad-hoc committee to consider the drafting of legislation to regulate private political party funding. I have discussed the matter with the NA table staff and they have informed that is the appropriate route to follow in order to establish such a committee. As I am sure you will agree this matter needs Parliament’s urgent attention and I have been trying unsuccessfully to get the matter debated in the House for the last two years. I would therefore hope that you would give this issue your urgent attention and that you would do everything in your power to put this proposal on to the agenda of the meeting.
Kind Regards
Lance Greyling, MP
Chief Whip
Independent Democrats
ENDS…
