‘Some of those members are compromised’: Parliament’s ad hoc committee called ‘irrelevant’

Zwelinzima Vavi, the general secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) said that his federation never took Parliament’s ad hoc committee seriously, arguing that certain MPs who were tasked with hearing evidence were compromised.

Parliament’s Ad hoc committee was set up to investigate the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi regarding political interference, corruption and maladministration within the criminal justice system.

Diko defends ad hoc committee

Vavi’s criticism of the Ad Hoc Committee comes after ANC MP Khusela Diko defended the manner in which National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola was suspended.

Diko was also accused by the Activists and Citizens Forum of allowing Masemola to be charged in an effort to protect suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu. The charges against Masemola were dropped this week.

The ad hoc committee draft report was deliberated on in July, with several committee members accusing it of being “watered down” and of not being tough enough on certain individuals, including Mchunu.

The ANC MP, however, defended herself this week, saying that the ANC did not refer Masemola’s case for further investigation. She also claimed its action against the police commissioner differed to that it recommended against Mchunu.

“While the ANC submitted a finding on Gen Masemola, we have made no recommendation for further action. We did not refer Gen Masemola’s matter for further investigation as we did to Min Mchunu and many others.

“We note the lapse on his side, but have not recommended any further action, neither does our submission in totality say he must not return to work,” said Diko on social media this week.

Vavi calls ad hoc committee ‘irrelevant’

Vavi, however, is not convinced that the ad hoc committee members were trying to root out corruption and political interference within law enforcement.

“[Saftu] felt from the beginning that the people who were nominated to listen to the evidence… were themselves so compromised, as is now being demonstrated by the Madlanga commission,” he said in an interview with the SABC.

Watch: Vavi’s comments on the ad hoc commitee

He said Diko’s comments on Masemola and Mchunu are hollow.

“We think that [the ad hoc committee] was a total waste of money, which was hurriedly put together by people who had ignored General Mkhwanazi when he went to them to ring the alarm bells.”

Vavi added that the ad hoc committee was “irrelevant” and only put together after public outcry about Mkhwanazi’s allegations.

“We don’t take seriously what Comrade Khusela Diko is saying or any of the members of that committee. We are waiting for the real deal, for the recommendations that will be made by the Madlanga commission,” he said.