The Acting Speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), Honourable Nomvuyo Mhlakaza-Manamela together with the Leadership of different parties represented in the GPL resolved to postpone today’s House Sitting due to ongoing incidents of violence in the Province.

Today’s House Sitting was scheduled to amongst others offer the Premier of Gauteng an opportunity to respond to questions for oral reply relating to the impact of the National Health Insurance (NHI) and give a detailed plan on national government taking over the running of four national hospitals located in the province.

Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs) were also due to debate a motion on violence in the Province.

The decision to postpone the House Sitting was taken in an effort to allow MPLs to intervene and provide stability in areas where there are incidents of violence and looting.

The Acting Speaker is concerned that the escalating violence has a negative impact on the running of Government in the province, as well as devastating effects on the economy of Gauteng.

Acting Speaker Mhlakaza-Manamela condemns the violence in the strongest terms and calls for law enforcement agencies to deal with all lawlessness and criminality decisively and swiftly.

Acting Speaker Mhlakaza-Manamela calls on all structures of society to stand up against the incidents of violence, looting and destruction of property directed towards foreign nationals.

The Acting Speaker calls for an end to this lawlessness and criminality which seem to be driven by xenophobia and encourages unity and tolerance among all people of Gauteng including foreign nationals residing in the Province.

ISSUED BY THE GPL’S COMMUNICATIONSUNIT ON BEHALF OF THE ACTING SPEAKER OF THE GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE, HONOURABLE NOMVUYO MHLAKAZA-MANAMELA.

For more information or interview queries, please contact: Mr Thebe Khumalo on 072 266 1021 email: TKhumalo@gpl.gov.za OR Ms Thabisile Nzuke on 082 619 4411 email: TNzuke@gpl.gov.za

GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE