The ANC in the Mpumalanga Legislature yesterday voted against a motion without notice brought by the FF Plus that the provincial Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs must be forced to answer questions put to it as far back as March 2020.
The FF Plus addressed various written and oral questions to the Department about illegal mining activities, proposed mining sites and unrehabilitated mining sites in the province.
Questions about a possibly unlawful mining site, which covers an area of approximately 90 hectares, were also raised. These questions all remain unanswered.
Illegal mining activities not only pose a threat to the environment, but also to the province's economy.
With the motion, the FF Plus requested the Legislature to hold the Department accountable and to instruct it to provide answers to these questions by the 17th of March 2021. It would have demonstrated a willingness from the Legislature's side to compel the Department to play open cards with the public.
The basic principles of sound management start with the simple things, like answering questions.
The FF Plus will refer the issue to the Rules and Ethics Committee and insist that the questions are answered within ten days.
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