PREMIER'S RESPONSE
The media report, which says Premier Mahlangu, declines to participate in debate on his opening Legislature Speech on Tuesday, is a blatant, untruth and irresponsible statement.
I was never requested to participate or respond on my speech on Tuesday the 27th February 2001.
According to order papers, i.e. matters on the agenda of Tuesday and subsequent programme of the sitting of legislature, I am required to respond to the debate of Tuesday only on Thursday, March 1, 2001.
The statement allegedly made by the Honourable, Mr. Clive Hatch of the Democratic Alliance - namely "It is the tradition for Premiers or MEC's to reply immediately to debates.
This is a fundamental principle of participatory democracy, but it appears that the ANC's National Executive is scared of what Mahlangu might say and has therefore gagged him," is untrue, unfounded and regrettable, moreover it is misleading to the general public.
It is normal for the Head of Government to consider carefully any comments or criticism of his/her policy direction by members of the legislature and to do this he/she need time to respond carefully to each criticism or comment.
I may remind the honourable member concern that there is a difference between the Policy/Budget Speech of the Premier's Office and the Premier's Speech at the Opening of the Legislature.
The Premier's address at the Legislature Opening is a Policy Direction for the whole Provincial Government whilst the Budget Speech of the Premier's Office concerns the policy direction of the Office of the Premier, which can be responded to immediately and with the Opening Address the premier needs time.
For the Honourable Mr. Clive Hatch to allege that a person who was not in the legislature during the debate, and from Luthuli House is to respond to the policy Speech of the Premier, is far fetched and needs to be strongly condemned with the contempt it deserves.
I take a strong exception to this untruthful and irresponsible statement. I challenge the Honourable, Mr. Hatch to prove his statement.
The democratic alliance and the freedom Front in the Mpumalanga Legislature must stop making allegations and criticism on the Premier's Speech and then run away, under the guise of boycotting when the Premier is to respond.
I hope their constituencies will judge them for this.
I thank you