Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula on Wednesday rejected any possibility of government tampering with the report of the independent committee of inquiry into farm attacks and the motives behind them.
The report, when released to the public, would be the same as when presented to him, he told the National Assembly’s safety and security committee.
Inquiry committee chairman Advocate Charl du Plessis presented the report to Nqakula last month, but the minister has delayed its release to engage the committee on certain issues.
The delay prompted accusations that government intended tampering with the document, and might want to change a reported finding that some rural brutality was racially motivated.
The investigation was commissioned by Nqakula’s predecessor, the late Steve Tshwete in 2001.
On Wednesday, Nqakula said he wanted to consult the committee before submitting the report to Cabinet, after which it would be released together with government’s response.
”Indeed I would be the most stupid person on Earth if I was going to get a report from anyone and I take that report and fiddle with it.
”Because, obviously, the people who compiled the report… would speak to people and say ‘This is not the report we handed in. It has been fiddled with’.”
”It’s an obvious thing. Why would I be that stupid and want to change a report… besides, what would the reason be for us to want to change the report?” Nqakula asked.
He also denied media claims that the report had been referred back to the committee of inquiry. ”I never said that”.
”All we did, was we wrote to the committee and said ‘let’s come and interact on the basis of the report; there are certain pertinent questions which have been posed, and we would like you to clear these things to empower us, as a Cabinet sub-committee, so when we go before Cabinet and they ask these very questions we will be able to respond’.”
Safety and security committee chairman Mluleki George said Nqakula had assured him the report would not be unduly delayed, and members were looking forward to its release. – Sapa