African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Gwede Mantashe has agreed to meet the Democratic Alliance (DA) to discuss the future of the Scorpions, DA leader Helen Zille said on Wednesday.
”Unfortunately, Mr Mantashe’s letter indicates that [ANC president] Jacob Zuma will not be attending the meeting, as I originally requested,” she said in a statement.
”It is not clear why Mr Zuma has decided not to attend.”
Zille said she had told Mantashe of her disappointment at Zuma’s rejection of her request to meet him.
It flew in the face of Zuma’s comments in the weekend press that he was ready to ”debate anything”, even the future of the Scorpions.
”This is unfortunate. I believe that it is critical that the leaders of the two largest political parties meet from time to time to discus issues of profound national importance,” she said.
”I sincerely hope that Mr Zuma, as the potential future president of South Africa, is not shying away from a robust discussion on an issue as serious as the Scorpions.
”This would not bode well for the future of democratic engagement in South Africa.”
Zille said she hoped Zuma changed his mind and agreed to attend the meeting.
”But if he is not bold enough to debate the future of the Scorpions with me face to face, then so be it.”
She would meet Mantashe instead to ascertain the ANC’s reasons for disbanding the most effective crime-fighting unit the country had ever seen.
She looked forward to a full and frank discussion, Zille said.
A date for the meeting was being set and would be announced in due course. — Sapa