Speaker, media reports suggest that the ANC, via its front company, Chancellor House, is benefiting from the national energy crisis again, through its recent purchase of a major Swazi coal mine which is, in turn, apparently set to supply coal to several power plants, including the new Medupi plant. The DA believes that this amounts to a gross conflict of interest. It blurs the lines between party and state, and we once again call on the ANC to shut down Chancellor House.
Chancellor House is a front company that is doing nothing but enrich the ANC and it is doing that through very questionable means. We cannot have a situation where the ANC is able to benefit from an energy crisis of its own making and its insider knowledge of state dealings, in order to bankroll its own party financing and election campaigns.
In April this year, the DA's Chief Whip, Ian Davidson, submitted a Private Members' Bill to ban political parties from tendering and contracting with general government. The Bill seeks to regulate the awarding of government tenders in order to ensure that no business entity in which a political party has an interest can tender with government or parastatals.
This episode only re-emphasises the need for such legislation. Where there is such provision in place in our law, a coal mine owned by an ANC front company will not be permitted to contract with Eskom. I thank you. [Applause.]