National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has defended her decision not to accede to a request by the Ad Hoc Committee, to issue subpoenas for forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan and Brown Mogotsi.
The request was made by the committee that is investigating allegations of wrongdoing within law enforcement that were made by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Some of the committee members had wanted Didiza to subpoena the two to appear virtually following their request to appear virtually at the committee, citing security concerns.
Mogotsi, who is accused of a corrupt relationship with suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu, has requested that the committee fund his bodyguards, who will protect him during his appearance at the committee.
O’Sullivan has in the meanwhile being accused of interfering in the affairs of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
Didiza, who was speaking during the National Assembly Programme Committee, rejected the committee’s request, arguing that the committee had not sufficiently engaged with the security concerns raised by the two individuals.
“I applied my mind; I gave guidance to the committee.
The committee has deliberated on the matter, and they have responded to me.
At the moment, the committee and the speaker’s office, are dealing with that matter,” said Didiza.
Didiza’s rejection has divided members of the committee, especially among party lines.
She has been accused of protecting O’Sullivan and Mokgosi, and of providing them preferential treatment.
She implored the committee to continue with its work and inviting witnesses as per the mandate that was given to them by parliament.
“These committee is doing the work that was mandated by the house.
The National Assembly was very clear that, the issue that the committee must address, is whether the allegations that were made by Mkhwanazi, are they authentic and if so, what must be done about it.
I think its very important for all of us to go back to what was the mandate of the house, and that’s what I’ve always tried to remind the committee itself, to say their mandate was very clear, what it needed to do,” stressed the Speaker.
She cautioned the committee to be mindful of its deadline and advise the house about its recommendations.
“Once they have done that, they must come back to parliament, make recommendations of how in the view of them as a committee having looked at all of these things, what guidance are they giving parliament in terms of their recommendations on how these matters must be dealt with going forward,” remarked Didiza.
