The ad hoc committee investigating the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on Friday fell victim to bipartisan discord for the first time as the Democratic Alliance (DA) decided to boycott the adoption of its draft report over a decision to omit recommendations.

DA communications spokesperson, Phumzile van Damme, and the party’s deputy whip, Mike Waters, objected strongly to the view put forth by parliamentary legal advisors, and backed by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and all other parties, that there were risks in including recommendations in the document.

They charged that the reversal on including recommendations clearly indicated that the ANC majority had received orders from the ruling party’s headquarters overnight not to allow the inclusion of these.

Steve Swart from the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) argued that it was wiser to heed the legal advice if putting forth recommendations “could result in giving ammunition to those implicated”.

Committee chairperson, Vincent Smith, rebuked Van Damme for suggesting the legal advisors had done a bad job, urging her to restrict political attacks to politicians and spare parliamentary staff.

The issue was put to the vote and only Waters and Van Damme voted against leaving the recommendations on the crisis at the public broadcaster out.

Van Damme told the African News Agency (ANA) that because of this, the DA would therefore not be present when the committee reconvened at noon to adopt the draft report.

“We voted against the report being sent without recommendations. There’s no point in us being there for it’s adoption,” she said.