Question NW1049 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
17 June 2021 - NW1049
Powell, Ms EL to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
Whether she will provide Ms E L Powell with the (a) tax invoices and (b) signed proof of delivery of items as procured by her department from certain service providers (names and details furnished) during the period 1 March to 1 October 2020; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
Reply:
The Honourable Member is well aware that the document titled “Guide to Parliamentary Questions in the National Assembly”, prohibits Members of Parliament, including the Executive, from providing names in parliamentary questions and responses to questions. The document referred to states that:
“Questions are to be framed as concisely as possible. All unnecessary adjectives, references and quotations are omitted. Names of persons, bodies and, for example, newspapers are only used in questions if the facts surrounding the case have been proven. As the mere mention of such names could be construed as publicity for or against them, it should be clear that this practice is highly undesirable. If a question will be unintelligible without mentioning such names, the Departments concerned are notified of the name (-s) and this phrase is used: ".......a certain person (name furnished)”
I am therefore unable to provide the information requested by the Honourable Member as it contains company names and other confidential inform