MEMBERS of Parliament have raised concerns about alcohol that forms part of a donation made to Parliament when President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his State of the Nation Address (Sona) next week.
This emerged during the meeting of the National Assembly’s programme committee to consider the draft programme for the quarter.
An unnamed company has made a donation of food and alcohol to the Office of the National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza, for the opening of Sona, which will be held in the Cape Town City Hall at 7pm.
EFF MP Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi was the first to raise the matter when she noted that they were informed during the meeting of the chief whips forum on Wednesday.
“We made it clear we don’t want that. MPs can feed themselves. It is worrisome when MPs are also to be given alcohol,” Mkhaliphi said.
She questioned why food was donated to the MPs.
“It is worse to be given alcohol on Sona. We want to make it record that we don’t want food donated to MPs and we don’t want alcohol. That is unethical. MPs will be drunk during Sona,” Mkhaliphi said.
ANC chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli said they had asked about the donation and whether there was a relationship between the donors and Parliament.
“We got clarified that there are no special relations in the contest of the companies having tenders involving Parliament,” Ntuli said.
He also said their view was to accept the donation to the extent that it mitigated the overall cost associated with hosting Sona, which was not an occasion just for the MPs.
Ntuli said it should be left to Parliament how it would dispatch and make available the food and alcohol to be consumed by those attending the event.
“We have confidence that there are no responsible MPs who can decide to get drunk on the basis that there is free alcohol and walk into Sona completely drunk.
“If anybody does that, it will mean that person has capacity to organise alcohol for himself or herself somewhere outside what is donated to the office of the Speaker of Parliament to consume alcohol with a clear intention to cause disruption to the sitting of Sona,” he said.
ACDP’s Steve Swart said Parliament used to have sponsored dinners in the past, but that came to an end.
“We share the concerns about the usage of alcohol, particularly before Sona and afterwards, but that will be a decision Parliament will take.
“We don’t want a situation where alcohol will be abused in any way and there could be disruption. I think we need to be very aware of that,” Swart said.
ATM leader Vuyo Zungula said the donation of alcohol to a parliamentary programme sent a bad message in light of high alcoholism in the country.
“If people want to entertain themselves using alcohol, they must do that on their free will and at their own time and space. but I don’t think it is sending a correct message for Parliament to have any alcohol in such a Sona,” Zungula said.
MK Party’s Visvin Reddy said he did not think alcohol at Sona would make any difference as some MPs looked under the influence.
“In terms of the eyes of the public, it will not look good, Speaker, when we give alcohol at the Sona address. Maybe, we can take the money and use it in some other way.
“Certainly it will not look like we are celebrating this extravagance and have alcohol and all of that. Let’s review the decision of giving free alcohol at Sona,” Reddy said.
In her response, Didiza confirmed that sponsorship had been given and that they noted what the MPs raised with the liquor.
“I am having a discussion with the sponsor in that regard,” she said.
On the donated food, Didiza said it will be in the marquee for consumption after Sona for all the guests and the MPs.
“It is not for eating during or before to make sure we respect the presentation of Sona and afterwards, people will then have food. It is not because we are extravagant or it will be extravagant. It is really to make sure that people have something to eat at the end of the session,” she said.