National Assembly speaker Frene Ginwala chided members of the executive, including Deputy President Jacob Zuma, yesterday, accusing cabinet ministers of playing "fast and loose" with Parliament.

Ginwala, who earlier in the week publicly called for disgraced African National Congress (ANC) MP Tony Yengeni to resign and clashed with ANC MPs over how the National Assembly should deal with the fact that he lied to the House, turned her attention to the executive yesterday.

At a meeting of the assembly's programme committee, she took exception to the defence ministry asking for a debate on the Antipersonnel Mines Bill to be rescheduled. "When we first get agreement from ministers, I don't think ministers should just say I can't come, I'm not available, and therefore I suggest you shift it to this day," she said.

Ginwala also objected to the fact that an official in Zuma's office had written to her asking for a postponement, rather than Zuma, who is the leader of government business in the assembly.

"The letter should not be coming from Vanessa. I don't think we should accept that. Don't waste my time. It's happening too often," Ginwala said.

Ginwala said she wanted the letters "from and signed" by Zuma in his capacity as leader of government business.

"At the moment they (ministers) are playing fast and loose with our programme," she complained. Ginwala said she would write to Zuma to say it was no longer acceptable for ministers to shift debates without a proper explanation.

"I think you know, if people are going to play fast and loose, they don't do it with Parliament."

Late last year, Ginwala accused MPs of behaving like government cannon-fodder.

She noted they were passing bills without paying attention to what they were approving, including the wrong versions of draft legislation.

With acknowledgements to Angela Quintal and Business Day.