Relocating Parliament ‘not the most important’ - Modise
National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise says Parliament will only move its sittings to Gauteng as a last resort.
Modise made the remarks during a virtual meeting of Parliament’s programming committee on Thursday.
MPs are expected to return to the parliamentary precinct for the first time since the start of the lockdown, during a question-and-answer session with ministers on Wednesday.
However, only some MPs will be allowed inside the National Assembly while other will have to rely on technology to ask their questions.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) wants Parliament to be temporarily moved to Gauteng to allow for better oversight of the executive.
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Modise said, while she had not received the EFF’s letter, the presiding officers would take the suggestion under consideration.
"The powers and privileges do give us the authority to designate any piece, any venue as a precinct. And yes, if we consider it important, if we consider it as a last option we will do it.
We have not - for the record - we have not received the letter advising to relocate us to Gauteng. We will consider the option," Modise said.
Modise reminded MPs that the country is in a state of disaster and moving Parliament is therefore not at the top of the agenda.
"It irritates me, honourable members, when members of political parties forget the situation we are.
"We're not in the situation because there are heroes and cowards. We are in this situation because we are in a national disaster. I would advise members to go and look at other countries when they are in a state of national disasters when they are at war because then we would begin to start thinking of putting people first.”
Modise responded to EFFs query about the Western Cape's high infection and death rate which they cited as one of the reasons to move to Gauteng.
"I think we should also remember that the Western Cape is not isolated from the rest of the country. It's our province.
"Whatever happens there affects all of us. The movements n and out of the Western Cape affects all of us.
"So let us consider this virus as a problem of South Africa and not a provincial problem," she urged the members.