SPEECH BY BRETT HERRON, GOOD MEMBER OF THE WESTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT AND SECRETARY-GENERAL
13 AUGUST 2020
Speaker, we have been living through a prolonged period of desperation caused by the Coronavirus and its impact.
Businesses are desperate to survive and workers are desperate to keep their jobs.
This desperation created an environment where exploitation could flourish and where corners could be cut.
We received reports of pressure and intimidation of workers by bosses and we reported these incidents to the Labour Department expecting them to investigate.
We expected the labour department inspectors to make unannounced visits to places of employment to defend the health and labour rights of employees wherever they were being compromised.
If the allegations against the Deputy Speaker are true then this would be a grotesque abuse of her office and a failure of public service.
If the allegations are true then the Deputy Speaker would have failed those she was elected to served. She would have failed those vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
If the allegations are true she would have used a power she did not have.
In the interest of maintaining the integrity of this parliament, the office of the speaker and deputy speaker, and Honourable Schafer, herself, the allegations must be tested and dealt with swiftly.
There must be an investigation.
Suspension is usually only required where an accused is likely to use their position to interfere in an investigation. There is no evidence that this is the case and we see no reason for the Deputy Speaker to be suspended while the investigation is underway.