Choice of Rise Mzansi's Zibi as Scopa chair raises heckles

The appointment of Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi as chair of parliament's standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) is stirring up the EFF and ActionSA.

- ThandoNondywana

Zibi was elected unopposed to the position at a Scopa meeting on Wednesday.

ActionSA and the EFF objected to Zibi's election, arguing that his party was not in the opposition, thus going against the long-held tradition that Scopa is chaired by the opposition.

The EFF's Veronica Mente raised the objection: "The principle and the convention of this parliament have been that the opposition must chair Scopa.

"Given the 29 May results and the decision afterwards that this country would be governed by a government of national unity (GNU), which your party is part of, we do not consider your party as the opposition," Mente said during the proceedings.

Zibi was nominated by the ANC's Lusizo Makhubela and backed by the DA's Patrick Atkinson, who are part of the parties in the GNU.