Mosielele calls for Ntlo ya Dikgosi elevation
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday June 28, 2022 03:17
Mosielele believes his motion calling for the elevation of the position of Secretary, Ntlo ya Dikgosi to Permanent Secretary (PS) level will add value.
Following the poor appearance of ministers before the House at its recently ended meeting, dikgosi expressed their displeasure at the snub. For Mosielele, elevating their Secretary from Director level to PS position will pave way for a fully functional structure for NYD.
He is of the view that this would demonstrate the administrative loss the House is going through by being headed at Director level.
Mosielele was saddened that he could not have his motion to have the Lands and Water Affairs ministry suspend the new Tribal Land Act to allow for further consultation. “The motion was very important and we will now only meet in October. This somehow makes it look like we are just wasting government resources. We have nothing to report back. It is hence important that NYD is more organised so we can play our role of advising as per the Constitution,” he said.
In a 25-page write-up, Mosielele said his motion seeks to advocate for the immediate correction of the anomaly.
“The status quo cannot be ignored anymore because it directly affects the effective and efficient facilitation of the House. The whole chapter establishing Parliament does not mention NYD, nor imply it in any manner,” he stated.
“The Constitution on the other hand establishes NYD as a separate entity advising Parliament. Parliament is administratively headed by the Clerk of the National Assembly. Contrastingly, NYD is headed by the Secretary.”
Mosielele argues that the disparity denies them the integrity and respect they deserve. “I am told the Secretary of the distinct House reports to the Deputy Clerk of Parliament. This simply means the Secretary does not have administrative independence. This means the decisions made by the chairperson, or the House cannot be implemented before the Deputy Clerk of a different house interrogates them and further give them to the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Deputy can sit as Clerk in this honourable House? If at all NYD and Parliament are two distinct Houses, what legitimises that the Deputy Clerk, not constitutionally recognised under NYD, can administratively supervise the NYD Secretary?” he said.
The tribal leader said under the current circumstances, they are restrained from supporting the government fully.
“This House desires to assist the government of the day and support the President on all issues of national importance. We desire to function as a responsive and competent House, during our term that is tied to the life of Parliament. We desire to deliver at all times. We are mostly constrained by the administration powers, which I do not know whether they are deliberate or a mistake,” he added.