DA's Mileham vows to hold 'every member of the executive responsible for their actions'

CAPE TOWN - As the biggest opposition party in the Government of National Unity (GNU), the Democratic Alliance (DA) said this arrangement would not stop it from holding the president and his executive accountable.

Member of Parliament, Kevin Mileham, said that his party would continue to back the call for a parliamentary oversight committee over the Presidency. 

It was a rallying call across the political divide on Tuesday, when parties debated the budget of the Presidency.

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The president will reply to the debate on Wednesday afternoon.

The DA has been criticised by the MK's parliamentary leader, John Hlophe, for calling out President Cyril Ramaphosa for a bloated Cabinet in 2019, and now forming part of a Cabinet of 32 ministers. 

But the DA's Mileham said it was in fact former President Jacob Zuma who presided over the world’s largest Cabinet of 35 ministers in 2014. 

Mileham said it was a blight on the sixth administration that performance assessments for ministers were not made public.

"Mr President, we implore you, put performance agreements in place over your ministers in this administration and then report back to Parliament on a regular basis on how are doing against those targets that have been set for them."

Mileham said that the DA would also continue to keep a close watch on state-owned enterprises even though their management was to be moved to a council within the Presidency. 

"We are going to watch every commitment made very carefully. We are going to track performance closely, and we will hold every member of the executive responsible for their actions."

Mileham said that with more parties forming the executive, it’s hoped this would lead to a greater degree of accountability within government.