Ramaphosa Set To Be Grilled On Intelligence Issues, Economy

The head of state will answer oral questions in the National Assembly at 14:00.
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President Cyril Ramaphosa responds during his Question and Answer session in Parliament on March 14, 2018 in Cape Town.
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When President Cyril Ramaphosa stands behind the podium and answers questions in the National Assembly on Tuesday, most of the focus is expected to be on the economy.

However, he will also have to breach the subject of the police's Crime Intelligence unit because Cope MP Deidre Carter is expected to ask: "Whether, in the interests of transparency, accountability, responsibility, the rule of law and the best interests of the country, he will establish a commission of inquiry into the alleged serious dysfunction, malfeasance, corruption and gross abuse of resources of the state, including financial resources, for wrongful ends within the Crime Intelligence division of the SA Police Service and the State Security Agency; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?"

ANC MP Adrian Williams is to ask what message the team of Special Envoys on Investment, which Ramaphosa appointed in April, intends to convey to potential investors and what the government's strategic objectives are for convening the investment conference in September 2018.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane wants to know the details of the assurances that his newly-appointed envoys will give potential foreign investors to ensure that the National Development Plan's growth targets are met, despite the government's plan to expropriate land without compensation.

ANC MP Ruth Bhengu is to ask what Ramaphosa's position is on the findings and proposals of the South Africa Economic Update Jobs and Inequality report by the World Bank, which was released in April 2018.

The president can expect ANC MP Hope Malgas to ask how the nation should deal with its current and future socio-economic challenges. This is in reference to Ramaphosa's speech at the funeral of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, where he said that "we must recognise our own wounds as a nation" and "acknowledge that we are a society that is hurting, damaged by our past".

AIC MP Mandlenkosi Galo will ask how Ramaphosa intends to reduce barriers for small businesses when the Competition Commission, which should be the instrument that breaks down these barriers, continues to approve mergers among large corporation, hindering an efficient and competitive environment for small and medium enterprises.

The sitting, which only has the questions to Ramaphosa on the agenda, is scheduled for 14:00. — News24Wire