Parliament needs to crack the whip over delinquent Members of Parliament

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) demands that Parliament show some moral fortitude and leadership and crack the whip over the increasing numbers of delinquent Members of Parliament (MPs). Legislators have not even received their first salaries yet already four MPs have found time and appetite to flirt with anarchy and juvenile antics.

The Electoral Court has now found an Umkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP) MP, Mr. Visvin Reddy guilty of incitement to violence during the election campaign. A Democratic Alliance MP, Mr. Renaldo Gouws, as well as another MK MP, Mr. Andile Mngxitama, have been trending on social media with their rantings dripping with hate speech and calls for violence. African National Congress MP, Zizi Kodwa, has been sworn-in despite being on trial for charges of corruption. Parliament in a moment of ignominy now faces the prospect of impeached former Judge John Hlophe being appointed to the Judicial Services Commission to appoint and oversee the judiciary!

South Africa has experienced the devastating consequences of Parliament turning a blind eye towards rascals of dubious moral standing masquerading as public representatives and being allowed to run amok in the Legislature, Government and society. It has been ordinary workers, working class communities and society who have paid the price for this shameful collapse in ethics amongst some of those elected to lead.

Parliament over the years, has been found desperately wanting and gone out of its way to turn a blind eye to the misdemeanours of public representatives. We expect the 7^th Parliament to signal a firm break with this tradition of shame. It needs to amend its rules and actively sanction and expel those MPs who cannot be bothered to abide by its code of conduct, let alone the values of the Constitution. Clearly, political parties lack the moral compass to police themselves.

A society that has buried thousands to political violence cannot afford to treat those who sow racism and hate speech with kid gloves. Nor can we afford to equivocate corruption and inexplainable lifestyles of public representatives.

The tasks of MPs are to pass laws and hold government accountable for their implementation. Society should not be expected to tolerate the morally deficient being entrusted with these sacrosanct responsibilities. South Africans have the right to expect and insist upon the highest ethical and moral standards amongst those elected and privileged to lead.

Issued by COSATU

For further comment please contact:Matthew ParksParliamentary CoordinatorCell: 082 785 0687Email: [email protected]