Cape Town – Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe told the National Assembly yesterday that he named and shamed ministers who failed to respond to parliamentary questions at Cabinet’s fortnightly meetings.

“I do that religiously. I am quite confident we will arrive at a point where no question is outstanding,” Motlanthe said in response to a question from the DA. “That point was made even this morning in Cabinet.”

DA chief whip Ian Davidson responded that in spite of Motlanthe’s efforts, there were on Tuesday a record 510 questions still awaiting answers. If the situation did not improve, he said, ministers might have to be treated like schoolchildren.

In August, Davidson’s colleague Mike Ellis lamented a lack of meaningful debate in Parliament and said ministers failed to respect the tradition of parliamentary questions. – Sapa