Ann Eveleth
Beleaguered KwaZulu-Natal Attorney-General Tim McNally met with African National Congress provincial leaders this week after calls by the party for his resignation.
A joint statement released after the meeting on Wednesday between McNally and the ANC delegation, led by ANC provincial leader Jacob Zuma, said the ANC had expressed its concerns over the “collapse” of the system of justice in the province and the low level of prosecutions relating to crimes of political violence.
“The ANC delegation also expressed the view that where crimes have been committed, people should be prosecuted across the board, irrespective of political affiliations,” the statement said.
The statement said McNally had “confirmed his commitment to prosecute any matter in which sufficient evidence existed,” and that he had supplied the ANC with a memorandum setting out his strategy and legal reasons why senior IFP leaders had not been called as witnesses in the Durban hit-squad trial of KwaZulu Police killers Romeo Mbambo, Gcina Mkhize and Israel
“The ANC took note of this (and) acknowledged that some movement had been made with regard to hit-squad cases. The ANC was also happy that the attorney-general and the Investigation Task Board were working closely together. While points of disagreement still exist, the meeting was frank, constructive and cordial,” the statement said.
The meeting, at McNally’s invitation, followed an attempt by McNally two weeks ago to repair relations with the ITU through a “meeting of reconciliation” after McNally fired the senior public prosecutor attached to the unit.
* McNally signalled his intention last week to sue the Mail & Guardian for R250 000 after reports detailing criticism of his performance.