President Jacob Zuma has agreed to an additional, fifth oral question session in the National Assembly this year, his office said on Thursday.

The presidency said it had suggested the date of November 3 for the session to Speaker Baleka Mbete’s office.

This follows heated demands from the opposition on Wednesday when Zuma answered questions in the National Assembly for the first time since August last year, when he was heckled by the Economic Freedom Fighters over the Nkandla saga.

On Wednesday, both the EFF and the Democratic Alliance accused Zuma of breaking the parliamentary rule that requires him to account to the chamber four times a year.

They said his failure to appear before MPs in November last year for a question session showed that he was “ducking” this responsibility.

Zuma hotly denied this, and appeared to shift the blame to Mbete, telling his detractors that he did not set dates and had never failed to appear on one stipulated by Parliament.

“Whenever Parliament says I must come on anything, I do come. I have never refused. Once Parliament has taken a decision, I always complied,” he said.

DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane said the provision by the presidency of an additional date was a victory for the opposition.

“President Zuma can no longer evade accountability due to the consistent work by the Democratic Alliance.

“His modus operandi of ducking and diving when called to account is coming to an end.” SAPA