Phuti Mosomane
ActionSA Chairperson Michael Beaumont said the party has approved a proposal for Athol Trollip to chair the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) nationally and in the provinces in which it has representation.
Trollip is ActionSA’s Parliamentary Caucus leader, and the party has six seats in the National Assembly and eight seats provincially.
Beaumont said the decision was made by the party’s highest structure, the senate, and follows a meeting with the ANC on 25 June 2024 in which ActionSA communicated that “it would not be joining the grand coalition and would play the role of a constructive unofficial opposition in the concerning environment in which over 70% of Parliament now forms part of government.”
He said ActionSA has availed itself to Chair the Standing Committees on Public Accounts in light of the established convention that this role be led by a Party in the opposition space.
Beaumont added that this has been done in the context of ActionSA as an opposition Party, with no agreement with the grand coalition and on the understanding that ActionSA will be a “tough opposition”.
“The nature of the role of a SCOPA Chairperson is vital, especially in the context of this grand coalition. Strong government needs a counter balancing force in opposition that uses the considerable powers afforded to a SCOPA Chairperson to hold the government to account,” he said.
Government officials, political office bearers and vendors to the state can be subpoenaed to appear before SCOPA to account.
Scopa is a legislature committee that acts as Parliament’s watchdog over the financial expenditure of the executive (President, ministers and deputy Ministers). It audits reports, internal audits, forensic reports and any other documents issued by the Auditor-General, as well as any other financial statements referred to them.
Over the years, the committee has been able to initiate investigations, and is empowered to call on governmental heads to account for expenditure of public funds.
If Scopa deems it necessary, it can also recommend that the National Assembly enforces punitive measures in issues of corruption.
ActionSA has allowed Athol Trollip to be considered as the Chairperson of SCOPA in the National Assembly, John Moodey in Gauteng, Thoko Mashiane in Mpumalanga and Kgosi Kwena Mangope in the North West.
The party said these are South Africans with enormous credentials in public service and ethical leadership.
Although this may not be a grand coalition with the ANC, it appears that there is a coordinated plan between the two parties to work together.
However, Beaumont said while his party avails these leaders to serve, “we are at pains to point out that the grand coalition is free to nominate these individuals or they are free to nominate any other Party because there is no agreement between ActionSA and the grand coalition.”
“Whether or not ActionSA chairs these vital committees, we will continue to play the role of a constructive opposition.”
It is evident that this new grand coalition needs to be held accountable by a strong, rational opposition.
With the largest and most expensive cabinet in the country’s history already in place, and Beaumont said real concerns of political brinkmanship are already on display by parties in the government, strong opposition has never been more important.
“ActionSA will perform this role without fear or favour and we hope those in the grand coalition recognise this imperative that arises from the decision to co-opt so much of Parliament into government,” Beaumont added.
The Scopa chair in the 6th administration was IFP’s Mkhuleko Hlengwa in July 2019, and before him Themba Godi of the African People’s Convention (APC) occupied the position since February 2005.
Below is a list of all the SCOPA Chairpersons to date.
Ken Andrews (Democratic Alliance) May 1994 – July 1999
Gavin Woods (Inkatha Freedom Party) July 1999 – March 2002
Vincent Smith (African National Congress) March 2002 – April 2002
Francois Beukman (New National Party) April 2002 – October 2005)
Themba Godi (Pan– African Congress /African People’s Convention) October 2005 – May 2019
Mkhuleko Hlengwa (Inkatha Freedom Party) July 2019 – 2024.
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