NCOP could stall the passing of the budget fiscal framework
Matters reached a crisis point during Tuesday night's NCOP Select committee meeting to adopt the report on the fiscal framework and revenue proposals.
CAPE TOWN - While all the focus is on the National Assembly to pass the budget fiscal framework and tax proposals, the matter could stall in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
For the budget to be fully adopted, both houses of Parliament must vote and adopt the report from the joint standing and select committees, which will be tabled in both houses on Wednesday afternoon.
However, the NCOP’s select committee on finance failed to follow proper procedure on Tuesday, failing to vote on the committee’s report as required.
Matters reached a crisis point during Tuesday night's NCOP Select committee meeting to adopt the report on the fiscal framework and revenue proposals.
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While the National Assembly’s standing committee ensured the report was adopted, the NCOP failed to vote on it, putting another spanner in the works in the ANC’s attempt to get the budget approved.
The leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the NCOP, Dennis Ryder, has now written a letter to NCOP chairperson Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, calling on her to withdraw the consideration of the report.
In his letter, Ryder says the report was “never formally adopted by the committee as required by the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act”.
Ryder says should the vote proceed, “considering what is essentially and unlawful report, any resolution of the house would subsequently be unlawful”.