Sparks are expected at the National Assembly’s sport and recreation committee meeting on Tuesday when committee chairperson Butana Komphela and South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) chief Moss Mashishi are scheduled to meet.
According to Tuesday’s committee meeting list, Sascoc is scheduled to brief the committee on its decision to boycott the committee’s meetings.
The furore erupted when Mashishi announced Sascoc would boycott the committee on account of Komphela’s behaviour.
However, last week, Sascoc confirmed in a terse statement it had received a letter from the committee requesting a meeting.
”Sascoc have stated that they will respond to the portfolio committee accordingly, and in writing,” it said.
The African National Congress (ANC) parliamentary caucus has positioned itself squarely behind Komphela, accusing Mashishi of ”reckless” and ”arrogant” behaviour. ”The ANC parliamentary caucus has noted the decision by [Mashishi] that his organisation will cease accounting to Parliament until the chairperson of the sport portfolio committee is replaced,” the party said.
”Caucus regards the statement, published widely in the media, as reckless and in contempt of the Constitution, which all responsible citizens are enjoined to uphold and respect.”
The Democratic Alliance (DA) and the United Democratic Movement, on the other hand, have called on Parliament speaker Baleka Mbete to investigate Komphela’s ”unacceptable conduct”.
”His racist remarks have not only brought embarrassment to sports in South Africa, but they have also denigrated the integrity of Parliament,” DA spokesperson Donald Lee said, referring to Komphela’s remarks on transformation in sport. — Sapa