Presidents must always account for their decisions in Parliament, NEC member Derek Hanekom said yesterday.
Speaking outside of the stalwarts' and veterans' national consultative conference, Hanekom expressed his disappointment with President Jacob Zuma's responses to questions about his Cabinet reshuffle in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
“The president of South Africa has to account to the people of South Africa, who voted for the ANC and voted for the ANC with a president in mind. The president must never run away from his responsibilities as the president of all people of South Africa and his constitutional obligation to give account of what’s happening in government and to account to Parliament, which is the oversight body."
On Thursday, Zuma faced questions from the NCOP over his two shock Cabinet reshuffles.
DA MP Jaco Londt asked about the reasons for his the 11th Cabinet reshuffle in October and IFP MP Mntomuhle Khawula asked whether the performance of ministers and deputy ministers had any impact.
But Zuma responded that it was his prerogative to appoint and remove members of his Cabinet, and added that he made the changes "after careful consideration".
When pressed further, Zuma said: "There are reasons that are not necessary to be known by people...If you want to know, you must win elections."
Reacting to Zuma's responses, Hanekom said, if the president fails in his responsibility to give account to Parliament, then Parliament collapses and the country is in trouble.
"If ministers and presidents and deputy presidents feel they don’t need to account to Parliament anymore, then our Constitution is under threat."
