Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who serves as the minister in the Presidency responsible for electricity, has pledged to address the Western Cape legislature after his recent absence from the ad hoc committee on energy drew criticism.
According to News24, Ramokgopa made this commitment while fielding inquiries about his absence earlier in the week during a media briefing on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan.
Also read: WC legislature considers summons for Ramokgopa’s repeated absences
‘We are accounting on a daily basis. I am appointed on a national level; I account to the executive and to Parliament. When I get invited to other legislatures, we go and account,’ Ramokgopa stated.
He also mentioned prior engagements with the Western Cape government, underscoring his willingness to collaborate with regional authorities.
Ramokgopa was expected to provide the ad hoc committee with insights into the impact of loadshedding on the province, but he informed the committee’s chairperson at the last minute that a personal matter prevented his attendance.
Consequently, the committee voted to postpone the meeting and demanded an urgent audience with the minister. If this request is not met, the committee has suggested that it may pursue the issuance of a summons.
During the briefing, Ramokgopa acknowledged that the notion of summoning a minister at the national level was being reviewed. He pointed out that he was not the sole minister facing such demands from the Western Cape legislature and highlighted that this matter would require governmental consideration regarding the rights and powers associated with summoning ministers.
‘I am aware that I am not the only minister. There are other ministers who apparently have been summoned by the Western Cape legislature. It is something that the government and other departments will attend to in relation to whether there are rights and powers to summon a minister,’ he said.
Ramokgopa emphasised his commitment to transparency and accountability, stating that he would be accountable not only to the Western Cape but also to other provinces.
He stressed that resolving the energy crisis was a national issue necessitating the involvement of all stakeholders and legislatures.
DA spokesperson Christopher Fry expressed concerns about the minister’s accountability.
He stated, ‘Minister Ramakgopa’s efforts to duck accountability cannot be allowed to continue. The people of the Western Cape have a right to know what the national government is doing to resolve the energy crisis, and the Minister must be held to account if his efforts are not sufficient.’
Fry also raised concerns about frequent meeting postponements and indicated that the DA would explore the possibility of summoning the minister if he failed to attend the committee’s urgent meeting request.
Such a summons would require the minister to clarify the progress, or lack thereof, in resolving the ongoing loadshedding issue associated with the ANC.
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Picture: @Kgosientsho_R / Twitter
