Axed National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) chief Vusi Pikoli will on Tuesday deliver a presentation to the ad-hoc parliamentary committee probing his dismissal, Parliament confirmed on Monday.
The following day, President Kgalema Motlanthe’s office will defend his decision to fire Pikoli in front of the committee that must advise MPs on whether to endorse the move, the parliamentary media service said.
Pikoli maintains that he has been removed from office because he refused to bow to political pressure not to prosecute now-suspended police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi for corruption.
The NPA boss was suspended by former president Thabo Mbeki in September 2007, after refusing to wait two weeks before issuing search-and-arrest warrants against Selebi.
Pikoli was vindicated by the Ginwala inquiry, which found he was fit to hold office, but Motlanthe refused to reinstate him, finding that the chief prosecutor had compromised national security.
The 22-member ad-hoc committee will sum up its recommendations to MPs in a report to be adopted late next week.
The National Assembly will then vote on the matter on January 30 and the National Council of Provinces on February 3.
MPs are not obliged to follow the recommendations of the committee. — Sapa