Mbete’s response lacks honesty, says Lekota

Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota says speaker of parliament Baleka Mbete’s explanation that the ruling of the Constitutional Court showed that parliament “did nothing wrong except one little thing” is totally disingenuous and mischievous.

Lekota said Mbete’s responses to questions at yesterday’s press briefing on the Constitutional Court’s judgment on the Nkandla saga lacked honesty and‚ more dangerously‚ was attempting to second-guess the court.

He charged that since 2014 Mbete had failed to act in the best tradition of an impartial speaker and leader of the legislature.

“Again and again she has attempted to be part of the executive rather than a credible leader of the legislature. Her rulings and pronouncements reveal how little she understands the Constitution and how indifferent she is to allowing a robust and unfettered scrutiny of the president,” he said.

“The fact that the National Assembly acted in a manner inconsistent with the Constitution is a very serious indictment of her and of the ANC caucus. She should have been distraught about that pronouncement against parliament by the Chief Justice. Unfortunately‚ she has sought to minimise the chastisement.

“She and the ANC caucus broke the law. That is official. Consequences should now follow.

“In as much as Zuma messed up the executive arm of government‚ she has fully messed up the legislative arm of government. Furthermore‚ the fact that the National Assembly has become a circus under her and that its credibility has been shot to pieces reflect that systemic rot which has set in under her…

“Her failures as speaker have been many…The legislature was commandeered by the executive and she permitted it.” — Tiso Black Star Group Digital