Northern Cape ANC allows DA to chair watchdog standing committee on public accounts

The ANC in the Northern Cape has done the unthinkable. It has made a bold move in approving the Democratic Alliance (DA) to chair the watchdog standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) in the provincial legislature.

‘Actions speak louder than words’

To show it meant business, it removed its Scopa chair, Father Gift van Staden, and replaced him with DA’s MPL, Rhoda Fawzia, on Wednesday.

Usually, the ANC would avoid giving the DA the task due to its vociferous oversight approach in holding the executive to account.

In parliament and other legislatures, the ANC has held the DA at bay, preferring to rather give the job to a smaller party which would make no impact on the process and let the ANC off the hook.

A manner of strengthening accountability

ANC Northern Cape provincial secretary Deshi Ngxanga said the party had offered the committee to the DA as the official opposition in the province and as a way to strengthen accountability by the ANC government in the province.

“We are unwavering in our stance of ensuring hastened accountability, deepened oversight that is beyond reproach and fostering a culture of total adherence to fiscal best practices,” Ngxanga said.

He promised sharp focus would be put on thwarting the lackadaisical attitude in certain areas of government in upholding sound financial management practices.

“This epoch of accountability serves to demonstrate the Usually, the ANC would avoid giving the DA the task due to its vociferous oversight approach in holding the executive to account.’s quest in positioning the Northern Cape provincial legislature with its army of MPLs to unite on the front of upholding every piece of legislation that seeks to protect the public purse, especially in supply chain management,” he said.

ANC is determined to tackle lack of clean audits

According to Ngxanga, headway had been made in relation to the latest auditor-general’s report and the ANC was determined to “unleash a total onslaught against the lack of clean audits”.

Under ANC chair and premier Zamani Saul, the governance approach had moved towards strict accountability by public officials.

No new cars for officials, government purchased more ambulance vehicles instead

Soon after he was elected as premier in 2019, Saul ordered that there would be no new cars for the premier, nor MECs. The government would, instead, purchase more ambulances and prioritise the people.

He did exactly that in a province which had earlier been in the news for an acute ambulance shortage.

“We can’t, as elected leaders, continue to indulge in luxury sedans and SUVs while our sickly people are struggling to access ambulances,” he said at the time.

“We are not here for blue lights and self-indulgence.

“All MECs to be appointed to this sixth administration must understand that the opportunity to serve our people is an absolute honour and not a step ladder to riches and fame.

“We are not royalty here, but ordinary and simple social and political activists.”

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