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The order made by the Western Cape High Court this past week is yet another turning point in this fifth Parliament as it is now the second time that a court has found Parliament to have breached the Constitution.

While the order to reconstitute the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests represents an opportunity for the ANC in Parliament to return this committee back into the unbiased body that it was under the former leadership of Ben Turok, this can only happen if the current Registrar, Ms Fazela Mohamed is replaced.

As the third respondent in the matter, the committee cannot be reconstituted and still be advised by Ms Mohamed. It was her advice which led the Chairpersons of the committee to breach the “fundamental rules of procedural justice, the Constitution”… and…”the very Code of Ethics they are required to enforce.”

Not only should Ms Mohamed not participate in the reconsideration the current matter, but she should not be allowed to continue in the position of registrar given the damning findings by the Western Cape High Court last week.

In order for the Ethics Committee of Parliament to be returned to its rightful place, poised to combat corruption in an unbiased manner, and to legitimately hold all MPs accountable, free of party politicisation, Ms Mohamed must be replaced alongside the current chairpersons in the reconstituted committee.

The DA looks forward to working together with the new committee to ensure that this ruling of the court ensures a fresh and clean approach going forward.

Issued by DA