Parly names Gordhan as minister with most unanswered questions on his portfolio
Parliament has published the list of affected ministers with some unanswered questions dating back to February last year.
FILE: Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan. Picture: @PresidencyZA/Twitter
CAPE TOWN - Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has been labeled as leader of the pack in relation to ministers who fail to answer written questions from members of Parliament (MPs).
Gordhan is joined by the likes of Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele and Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who have a combined 17 outstanding questions.
Parliament has published the list of affected ministers with some unanswered questions dating back to February last year.
Written questions to ministers are one of the key ways to hold the executive accountable by members of Parliament.
Ministers are also expected to answer in writing when they fail to respond to oral questions during House sittings.
But not all ministers respond as expected, Gordhan sitting with 17 unanswered questions on his portfolio, which includes Eskom and other SOEs.
He’s followed by Ntshavheni with ten outstanding questions. Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni is also on the list, with six outstanding questions.
But Parliament said it was trying to address the long-standing issue of unanswered questions.
Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has now written to the leader of government business, Paul Mashatile, requesting a meeting to discuss the issue and to find strategies to ensure that Cabinet members comply with parliamentary rules.