Both the ruling African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance have named their members who will serve on an ad hoc committee to consider the public protector’s probe into a complaint against the national director of public prosecutions.
The ANC team of 10 is headed by Ismail Vadi, a member of the National Assembly who comes from Lenasia. The others are Richard Baloyi from Phalaborwa, Bertha Gxowa from Katlehong, Thandi Tobias, Michael Tshililo Masutha, Mabel Mentor, Ben Mthembu, Eric Mtshali, Jonas Sibanyoni and Annelize van Wyk, a former United Democratic Movement MP who crossed to the ruling party last year.
The Democratic Alliance has named justice spokesperson Sheila Camerer and finance spokesperson Raenette Taljaard to serve on the 17-member committee, which will consider the special report on the investigation by Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana on an investigation of a complaint by Deputy President Jacob Zuma against the national director of public prosecutions and the National Prosecuting Authority in connection with a criminal investigation conducted against him.
The committee will include 17 members including five from other opposition parties.
The public protector rapped National Director of Public Prosections Bulelani Ngcuka over the knuckles for saying that there was prima facie evidence of corruption by Zuma but there was not sufficient evidence to prosecute him. The deputy president had lodged a complaint with the public protector.
The matter arises out of an allegation that the deputy president received R500 000 from a French company involved in the arms deal.
The committee can determine its own agenda, but one of the options could be to underscore the view of the public protector that Ngcuka’s remarks undermined the constitutionally protected human dignity of the deputy president.
It has until June 24 to report back to Parliament. — I-Net Bridge