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Polity
Published: 05 Jun 2004
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| ANC, DA name MPs for protector’s report committee | |
| Both the African National Congress (ANC) and the opposition
Democratic Alliance (DA) have named their MPs to serve on the
special committee set up to process Public Protector Lawrence
Mushwana's report handed to Parliament last Friday. On Thursday, the National Assembly unanimously agreed to establish the committee to consider Mushwana's report on his investigation into Deputy President Jacob Zuma's complaint against National Prosecuting Authority head Bulelani Ngcuka. The ANC will have ten MPs on the 17-person committee, the DA two, the Inkatha Freedom Party one, and the remaining four will come from the nine smaller parties. A list of MPs nominated by the ANC to serve on the committee, provided to the media by ANC Chief Whip Nathi Nhleko, reveals all ten to be backbenchers. Included are Annelize van Wyk, Richard Baloyi, Bertha Gxowa, Michael Masutha, and Ismail Vadi, who is expected to chair the committee. The DA, on the other hand, has nominated two of its most senior MPs -justice spokeswoman Sheila Camerer and finance spokeswoman Raenette Taljaard. The other five MPs have yet to be named. The committee has until June 25 to report to the house. In his report, Mushwana found it was "unfair and improper" to say publicly there was a prima facie case of corruption against Zuma but that he would not be prosecuted. He said a public statement by Ngcuka had impaired Zuma's dignity and improperly prejudiced him. Ngcuka issued a media statement in August 2003 saying there was a prima facie case of corruption against Zuma over the multi-billion rand arms deal, but he would not prosecute him as the chances of success were not strong enough. Much public debate and media speculation about Zuma's possible corrupt involvement in the SA National Defence Force's arms procurement followed. Zuma then complained to the Public Protector about Ngcuka's remark and about the way in which the criminal investigation against him was conducted. Mushwana recommended Parliament take urgent steps to hold Ngcuka responsible for his "unfair and improper" behaviour towards Zuma and his failure to co-operate with the protector's investigation. - Sapa |
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