Motion without Notice on the Soweto Arts & Crafts Fair

Parliament today was more subdued than on Thursday. There was blanket media coverage so no need to repeat it here. I will offer my thoughts another time. Suffice to say the issues remain the same as I highlighted in my post on Friday - how we can bring the House and the ANC to order and call the Executive - including Jacob Zuma - to account.

A committee has been formed with Leader of Government Business and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa as Chair, and ANC Chief Whip Stone Sizani and DA Parliamentary Leader Mmusi Maimane as a Vice-Chairs.

The Committee has the job of restoring the primacy of House rules over the whims of the Presiding Officers, all of whom are ANC appointees.

The Presidency released this statement today.

During today's session I was able to introduce a Motion without Notice on the Soweto Arts & Crafts Fair. I took this photo of it before handing it over to the Parliamentary clerks for the record.

I reproduce the text in full below.

Internal Ref Number:	079	-	2014
Date:	18.11.2014
Member:	Toby Chance
Please find herewith a motion without notice to be tabled by the DA at the next sitting of the House:
I hereby move on behalf of the Democratic Alliance that this House - Notes that the organisers of the Soweto Arts and Crafts Fair, a monthly event staged in the forecourt of the Soweto Theatre in Jabulani, recently received their registration number as a Not-For-Profit Organisation, so qualifiying them to apply for grant and lottery funding; Also notes that through the fair, the organisers provide an opportunity for up to 50 crafters from Soweto and surrounding areas to sell their wares to the visiting public. Further notes that the fair entertains visitors with a full music programme presented by local artists and bands; and  represents the best of the best of initiatives to create jobs, serve the local community and generate tourism to Soweto; Conveys our message of support to the fair organisers and vows to support the fair by way of Members visiting it when they get the chance and happen to be in Johannesburg on the first Saturday of every month.