MP urges Parly committees to also call Mkhwanazi in SAPS probe
The Police and Justice Portfolio Committees are weighing the options to probe the claims made by the KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, against senior officials.
Mkhwanazi has accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and some top cops of interfering in police investigations involving organised crime syndicates.
Some of the options put forward on Wednesday included a full-blown investigation or setting up an Ad Hoc committee, but they were rejected by the majority Members of Parliament (MP), who argued that there are already committees capable of carrying out the work that needs to be done.
Fadiel Adams of the National Coloured Congress says the committee also needs to call Mkhwanazi before Parliament and question him on his claims.
He’s suggested the KwaZulu-Natal police chief may have called the press conference at which he made the explosive claims as a pre-emptive move.
" So much has been said about General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and the allegations he made, and I find it very, very suspicious that a full minister is suspended and the Deputy National Commissioner is suspended on the basis of an allegation.
"But seven senior generals in SAPS are charged and they're still at work, and General Mkhwanazi is coming out in defense of these people."
Economic Freedom Fighters MP Eugene Mthethwa has also cautioned the public against taking sides until all the facts have been gathered.
" We must wait for the Commission of Inquiry to now give the natural justice to what the allegations are about because we haven't heard the other side of the story.
"So, we must wait for the investigations to be completed by the Commission of Inquiry before we become the portfolio committees entrusted with the responsibility of holding the executive accountable."
Meanwhile, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party's Mzwanele Manyi has reiterated his party's opposition to the judicial commission of inquiry.
He called on committee members to focus on their oversight role and not entertain expectations that the commission would address the allegations.
"Some of the expectations by the market and the public about the importance of the judicial commission of inquiry might be misplaced because the fact of the matter is that a judicial commission of inquiry's findings are not legally binding. I've never been excited for these commissions because they are not legally binding for a number of reasons.
The bottom line is that we have people dying every day, and we are investing time and energy in an institution that cannot find a person guilty or innocent and cannot ascribe liability. I'm struggling to understand why we're doing this."
The MK Party has accused Ramaphosa of violating the Constitution and violating his oath of office.
They've given the President until Friday to reverse the announcement about the commission and resign.
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