DA Says Sisulu Must Resign if She Is Uninterested in Duties After Minister Ignored Portfolio Committee Summons

• The Democratic Alliance says Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu should quit if she's not up to perform her ministerial duties
• This comes after the minister missed four crucial departmental meetings and ignored a summons from Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Tourism
• Minister Sisulu has landed himself in hot water but has decided to take legal action to challenge the summons

CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Alliance (DA) said that Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu should resign if she is not interested in fulfilling her ministerial duties in her department.

This comes after Sisulu rejected a summons to appear before Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Tourism after the tourism minister missed four critical meetings of the committee since September.

The missed meetings include a briefing on the tourism department's annual report on 11 October, a briefing on the merger between Brand SA and SA Tourism and other meetings concerning reports on South African Tourism.

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According to Mail & Guardian, the committee was forced to issue the summons after Sisulu rejected a voluntary invite to appear before it. Tourism committee member and DA MP Manny de Freitas claims that Sisulu was sent several requests to appear before the committee. Still, the minister was a no-show and never sent an apology.

The portfolio committee now intends to ask National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to discipline the tourism minister, News24 reported.

Despite ignoring the voluntary invitations and summons, Sisulu's spokesperson, Steve Motale, assured that the minister said she respects and supports the mandate and work of the portfolio committee. Motale added that Sisulu viewed the summons as unfortunate and unnecessary. Minister Sisulu has decided to take legal action and will challenge the portfolio committee's summons.

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South Africans weigh in on Lindiwe Sisulu's rejection of the portfolio committee's summons

Citizens took to social media to complain about Lindiwe Sisulu's arrogance.

Here are some comments:

@MosesTau3 claimed:

"She is very arrogant and useless. They need to sack her."

@cousinNorman added:

"It's high time Lindiwe Sisulu felt the hot water!"

@gpreller asked:

"Would that not constitute breaking the rules of parliament, the code of conduct as well as her oath of office?"

@petermuller6 questioned:

"I know I know the majority voted ANC...but really do we deserve this arrogance from our leaders?"

@L1tl10ld48 commented:

"Nobody is above the law, especially a minister in the government who should respect authority!"

Lindiwe Sisulu said ANC is driven by money which affects female leader’s election prospects

In another story, Briefly News reported that Minister of Tourism and ANC presidential candidate Lindiwe Sisulu complained that the African National Congress' obsession with money put female leaders at a disadvantage.

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The National Executive Committee member claimed that ANC members with access to more money had a better chance of winning top ANC positions.

Sisulu, who is vying for the position of ANC president, unpacked the importance of women being in leadership roles in the build-up to the ruling party's national elective conference in December.

Source: Briefly News