North West Legislature Speaker Set Record Straight on DA Leader’ Statement The Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature, Hon Susanna Dantjie, has noted with greatest disappointment the misleading statement titled “Premier dodges responsibilities and duties” released by the leader of the Democratic Alliance, Mr Joe McGluwa on the 12 October 2016. We wish to inform the public that the Premier of the North West Province, Hon. Supra Mahumapelo, is and has always been available to answer any question posed to him by the Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLS). Since the beginning of the fifth administration in May 2014, Members of the Legislature have always confined themselves to asking the Premier questions for written reply which he has so far answered without any fail. Both the Premier and the Speaker has in recent times encouraged MPLs to use the platform of asking questions for oral reply as provided for in the Standing Rules of the Legislature. To date such questions are yet to be received by the Office of the Speaker for tabling in the House. The assertion by Hon. McGluwa further states that “the Premier has failed to answer any oral questions for the last five months” is therefore misleading and devoid of any truth. The Honourable Premier could not attend the House Sitting scheduled for the 22 September 2016 as it coincided with the day upon which he was arriving from an official trip in China. Contrary to Hon. McGluwa’s statement, the Hon Premier tendered an apology which was accepted by all members including the very Hon. Joe McGluwa in a House Sitting on 22 September 2016. Hon. McGluwa further states that the Hon. Premier “has dodged his responsibilities and Constitutional duties long enough and must realise oral questions are a vital component of ensuring accountability and oversight of the Executive Committee”. This defeats logic as it is a known fact by those who follow the debates at the Legislature that Hon. McGluwa is the one who always beg the Speaker to afford the Premier more time during debates in the House. The statement is further confusing as there is no committee called “Executive Committee” responsible for accountability and oversight in the Legislature. Perhaps we need to remind the Hon. McGluwa that members of the Legislature are seized with the responsibility to hold the Executive accountable through oversight not some non-existing fictitious committee he is creating in the public domain. The Programming Committee of the Legislature met on the 07 October 2016 and approved the Programme which makes provision for the Premier to answer questions on the 01 December 2016. It would seem Hon McGluwa overlooked this point if he cared to familiarised himself with the Programme since the Democratic Alliance failed to attend the Programming Committee meeting. We hope that Hon. Joe McGluwa will, in light of the facts as stated herein, revisit his statement and do the right honourable thing and retract his allegations. Ends Issued by the Office of the Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature. For further enquiries please contact the Spokesperson for the Office of the Speaker Mr Tebogo Chaane at 0723309494. .