Latest news with #AdHocCommittee
The Star
a day ago
- Politics
- The Star
Parliament forms Ad Hoc Committee to investigate serious allegations by KZN police commissioner
Mayibongwe Maqhina | Published 5 days ago The National Assembly on Wednesday night unanimously agreed to form an Ad Hoc Committee tasked with investigating the serious allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. This decision comes after the adoption of a report from the portfolio committees on Police and Justice and Constitutional Development, which were requested to consider the appropriate approach to deal with the allegations. ANC chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli announced that the 11-member committee will consist of four members from the ANC, two each from the DA and the MK Party, one member from the EFF, and two representatives to be recommended by other parties. Ntuli said the committee will report to the National Assembly by not later than October 31. He said the committee's terms of reference included t he alleged unlawful decision by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to disband the Political Killings Task Team, t he alleged unlawful removal of 121 case dockets from the Political Killings Task Team on the direction of Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, and t he alleged moratorium by Mchunu on filling vacancies within the SAPS Crime Intelligence Unit. Others are t he nature and implications of the relationship between SAPS senior leadership and certain members of the public, w hether the award of the R360 million contract to Vusumuzi Matlala's company for the provision of healthcare services to SAPS was irregular. The committee will also look into t he alleged interference by the Investigative Directorate Against Corruption in police matters, including judicial issues, and also c onsider the need for legislative policy and institutional reform to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system. Parties have thrown their weight behind the Ad Hoc Committee. ANC MP Samuel Moela said the allegations made by Mkhwanazi cannot be left unexamined. 'General Mkhwanazi's assertion, if accurate, paints a disturbing picture of how certain elements might be undermining the integrity of law enforcement institutions for political or personal gain. 'Parliament has both the responsibility and the authority to get to the bottom of these claims, not for political point scoring, but to protect the democratic institutions so many South Africans fought to build,' Moela said. DA deputy spokesperson on police, Lisa Schickerling, said the evidence Mkhwanazi presented raised the greatest questions about the conduct of Mchunu, Sibiya, senior police officers, and even members of the judiciary. 'The National Assembly must hold the executive to account, even in the face of parallel investigations. We welcome the urgency with which this House has resolved to independently oversee the political and institutional dimensions of this crisis,' said Schickerling. MK Party's Sibonelo Nomvalo saluted Mkhwanazi for taking on the perceived untouchables by exposing criminal syndicates within the criminal justice system. 'Our clarion call is that Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi must appear before the Ad Hoc Committee in Parliament and expose all the police officers, prosecutors, judges, Members of Parliament, and all officials in the Department of Police who are in cahoots with criminals," he said. 'An allegation by Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi against judges justifies our valid call for a lifestyle audit against judges. It is our firm belief that judges are human beings. They are not a paragon of morality, and therefore are corruptible honourable members,' Nomvalo said. EFF MP Rebecca Mohlala said the SAPS was a seriously compromised service, and its top brass enabled the capture of the institution for nefarious reasons. Mohlala said Parliament should get to the bottom of the allegations and reassert its role in providing oversight to the executive. 'We support the recommendation of the report for the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to conduct an inquiry to get to the bottom of corruption,' she said. [email protected]
IOL News
5 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
MK Party's budget vote confusion in National Assembly
MK Party chief whip Colleen Makhubele blamed their initial support for the Budget to mistaking the vote for the Ad Hoc Committee that will probe the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers Drama played out during the adoption of the Budget in the National Assembly this week when the MK Party supported the Appropriation Bill only to change its vote despite rejecting every departmental budget. The party's chief whip Colleen Makhubele blamed the confusion on mistakenly casting their vote for the Ad Hoc Committee that was established to probe allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during the marathon session. The unexpected vote of the official opposition unfolded soon after all the 42 schedules were agreed to. House chairperson Cedric Frolick had asked the National Assembly Secretary to read the Fifth Order, which was the next to be considered on the agenda after the schedule of vote of department. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Frolick then immediately corrected himself that it was going to be the time for Fourth Order, which was meant to agree on the Appropriation Bill after consultation with the officials. The EFF was the first to object and called for the division, a move that led to Makhubele accusing Frolick of not recognising her hand first. When the voting took place, the ANC voted in favour with 140 votes, followed by the support of the DA with 74 in support and then MK Party supporting with 49. The EFF voted against with 35. When Frolick asked Makhubele to clarify her party's vote, she said: '49 in support.' ACDP chief whip Steven Swart suggested that there might be confusion on which item that was being dealt. In response, Frolick said he had been explicit that they were dealing with the Fourth Order. 'I followed the procedure and the EFF was the last one to indicate and now I am with the IFP,' he said. Voting by other parties continued with the Patriotic Alliance. Its chief whip Marlon Daniels said his party 'follows the lead of MK Party with eight votes in support'. After the voting session had closed, Makhubele stated that she had mistakenly thought that they were dealing with the Ad Hoc Committee. 'We are changing our vote. We will support the Ad Hoc committee when it comes. That was confusion,' Makhubele added. Frolick agreed that there was confusion in terms of the MK Party's vote. 'The party has now changed the vote three times. What is your final position?' he enquired. In response Makhubele said: 'I am just a new chief. I will make errors so relax. We are voting against this.' DA chief whip George Michalakis said the parliamentary rules did not provide once the voting has closed for parties to change their vote. 'That will be highly irregular to allow parties to change their vote once a vote has closed,' Michalakis said. But, Frolick blamed the confusion on the disorderly conduct that was taking place in the House. 'I called the member on more than one occasion to vote in a particular manner.' He then announced the results that the Second Reading of the Appropriation bill was agreed to with 256 in favour and the MK Party's votes included among the 87 that voted against. 'No abstention and the Second Reading is agreed to,' Frolick said, adding the bill was to be sent to the national Council of Provinces for concurrence. He maintained that even if there was a rerun of the vote, it would not make a material difference on the outcome. Frolick stood his ground when EFF leader Julius Malema maintained that he made a bad judgement because he set a wrong precedent. 'You ruled in our favour but that was not in line. You are making this process to have a problem of legitimacy and credibility. This has to be the most respected process that you don't make the mistake,' said Malema, referring to Frolick when he overruled the MK Party when it was outsmarted by the EFF earlier in objecting and calling for division on the schedule of all the votes. Frolick was unmoved, saying there would no material difference to outcome of the vote. 'The majority voted in support of the Second Reading,' he said. Cape Times
IOL News
6 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Parliament forms Ad Hoc Committee to investigate serious allegations by KZN police commissioner
The 11-member Ad Hoc Committee mandated to investigate the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has three months to conduct its work and report to the National Assembly by not later than October 31. Image: Thobile Mathonsi / Independent Newspapers The National Assembly on Wednesday night unanimously agreed to form an Ad Hoc Committee tasked with investigating the serious allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. This decision comes after the adoption of a report from the portfolio committees on Police and Justice and Constitutional Development, which were requested to consider the appropriate approach to deal with the allegations. ANC chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli announced that the 11-member committee will consist of four members from the ANC, two each from the DA and the MK Party, one member from the EFF, and two representatives to be recommended by other parties. Ntuli said the committee will report to the National Assembly by not later than October 31. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading He said the committee's terms of reference included the alleged unlawful decision by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to disband the Political Killings Task Team, the alleged unlawful removal of 121 case dockets from the Political Killings Task Team on the direction of Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, and the alleged moratorium by Mchunu on filling vacancies within the SAPS Crime Intelligence Unit. Others are the nature and implications of the relationship between SAPS senior leadership and certain members of the public, whether the award of the R360 million contract to Vusumuzi Matlala's company for the provision of healthcare services to SAPS was irregular. The committee will also look into the alleged interference by the Investigative Directorate Against Corruption in police matters, including judicial issues, and also consider the need for legislative policy and institutional reform to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system. Parties have thrown their weight behind the Ad Hoc Committee. ANC MP Samuel Moela said the allegations made by Mkhwanazi cannot be left unexamined. 'General Mkhwanazi's assertion, if accurate, paints a disturbing picture of how certain elements might be undermining the integrity of law enforcement institutions for political or personal gain. 'Parliament has both the responsibility and the authority to get to the bottom of these claims, not for political point scoring, but to protect the democratic institutions so many South Africans fought to build,' Moela said. DA deputy spokesperson on police, Lisa Schickerling, said the evidence Mkhwanazi presented raised the greatest questions about the conduct of Mchunu, Sibiya, senior police officers, and even members of the judiciary. 'The National Assembly must hold the executive to account, even in the face of parallel investigations. We welcome the urgency with which this House has resolved to independently oversee the political and institutional dimensions of this crisis,' said Schickerling. MK Party's Sibonelo Nomvalo saluted Mkhwanazi for taking on the perceived untouchables by exposing criminal syndicates within the criminal justice system. 'Our clarion call is that Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi must appear before the Ad Hoc Committee in Parliament and expose all the police officers, prosecutors, judges, Members of Parliament, and all officials in the Department of Police who are in cahoots with criminals," he said. 'An allegation by Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi against judges justifies our valid call for a lifestyle audit against judges. It is our firm belief that judges are human beings. They are not a paragon of morality, and therefore are corruptible honourable members,' Nomvalo said. EFF MP Rebecca Mohlala said the SAPS was a seriously compromised service, and its top brass enabled the capture of the institution for nefarious reasons. Mohlala said Parliament should get to the bottom of the allegations and reassert its role in providing oversight to the executive. 'We support the recommendation of the report for the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to conduct an inquiry to get to the bottom of corruption,' she said.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Confusion reigns in National Assembly as MK party flip-flops on budget vote
MK Party chief whip Colleen Makhubele blamed their initial support for the Budget to mistaking the vote for the Ad Hoc Committee that will probe the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers Drama played out during the adoption of the Budget in the National Assembly on Wednesday night when the MK Party supported the Appropriation Bill only to change its vote despite rejecting every departmental budget. The party's chief whip Colleen Makhubele blamed the confusion on mistakenly casting their vote for the Ad Hoc Committee that was established to prove allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during the marathon session. The unexpected vote of the official opposition unfolded soon after all the 42 schedules were agreed to. House chairperson Cedric Frolick had asked the National Assembly Secretary to read the Fifth Order, which was the next to be considered on the agenda after the schedule of vote of department. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Frolick then immediately corrected himself that it was going to be the time for Fourth Order, which was meant to agree on the Appropriation Bill after consultation with the officials. The EFF was the first to object and called for the division, a move that led to Makhubele accusing Frolick of not recognising her hand first. When the voting took place, the ANC voted in favour with 140 votes, followed by the support of the DA with 74 in support and then MK Party supporting with 49. The EFF voted against with 35. When Frolick asked Makhubele to clarify her party's vote, she said: '49 in support.' ACDP chief whip Steven Swart suggested that there might be confusion on which item that was being dealt. In response, Frolick said he had been explicit that they were dealing with the Fourth Order. 'I followed the procedure and the EFF was the last one to indicate and now I am with the IFP,' he said. Voting by other parties continued with Patriotic Alliance with its chief whip Marlon Daniels saying his party 'follows the lead of MK Party with eight votes in support'. After the voting session had closed, Makhubele stated that she had mistakenly thought that they were dealing with the Ad Hoc Committee. 'We are changing our vote. We will support the Ad Hoc committee when it comes. That was confusion,' Makhubele added. Frolick agreed that there was confusion in terms of the MK Party's vote. 'The party has now changed the vote three times. What is your final position?' he enquired. In response Makhubele said: 'I am just a new chief. I will make errors so relax. We are voting against this.' DA chief whip George Michalakis said the parliamentary rules did not provide once the voting has closed for parties to change their vote. 'That will be highly irregular to allow parties to change their vote once a vote has closed,' Michalakis said. But, Frolick blamed the confusion to the disorderly conduct that was taking place in the House. 'I called the member on more than one occasion to vote in a particular manner.' He then announced the results that the Second Reading of the Appropriation bill was agreed to with 256 in favour and the MK Party's votes was included among the 87 that voted against. 'No abstention and the Second Reading is agreed to,' Frolick said, adding the bill was to be sent to the national Council of Provinces for concurrence. He maintained that the even if there was rerun of the vote, it would not make a material difference on the outcome. Frolick stood his ground when EFF leader Julius Malema maintained that he made a bad judgement because he set a wrong precedent. 'You ruled in our favour but that was not in line. You are making this process to have a problem of legitimacy and credibility. This has to be the most respected process that you don't make the mistake,' said Malema, referring to Frolick ruling when he overruled the MK Party when it was outsmarted by EFF earlier in objecting and calling for division on the schedule of all the votes. Frolick was unmoved, saying there would no material difference to outcome of the vote. 'The majority voted in support of the Second Reading,' he said.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
National Assembly passes Appropriation Bill, sending it to the NCOP for concurrence
The Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill was agreed to after the MK Party, which changed its support and blamed confusion on mistaking its vote for the Ad Hoc Committee established to probe allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers The National Assembly passed the Budget for 2025/26 on Wednesday before transmitting the Appropriation Bill to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) for concurrence. The Bill was initially passed during the First Reading when it mustered 262 votes against 90 votes. The schedule of all the departmental votes later sailed smoothly when 260 voted in favour and 88 against. The Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill was agreed to after the MK Party, which changed its support and blamed confusion on mistaking its vote for the Ad Hoc Committee established to probe allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ However, the DA became the toast of some parties during the earlier vote for the Human Settlements Department budget. The party had threatened not to vote for the budget of compromised ministers such as Human Settlements Thembi Simelane and Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane. This was after its former deputy minister, Andrew Whitfield, was fired from the executive for taking an overseas trip without authorisation from President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year. It reversed its decision after Nkabane was axed earlier this week amid the scandal over the now-cancelled appointment of Sector and Education Training Authority board chairpersons. EFF leader Julius Malema mused when the budget for Human Settlements Department was up for a vote, saying: 'let's go, let's see'. 'We want to see those ones, there,' Malema said in reference to the DA. ActionSA Lerato Ngobeni said the manipulative chest-pained DA was flip-flopping on principles by declaring it would not support corruption-accused Simelane, only to backtrack days later. 'ActionSA remains consistent. We will vote against the budget riddled with failure, a budget that no rational party with integrity can support. ActionSA will not support vote 33 for the department of refugee camps,' Ngobeni said. National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams said they would also not vote for the department's budget for the same reasons as proposed by ActionSA. 'We watch in anticipation to see the DA sell their last principles of blue lights. But remember, this is the same DA responsible for the housing crisis in the Western Cape, the same people who sent back R1 billion to the National Treasury unspent because squatter camps and filthy Cape Flats are why they exist,' Adams. The vote for the Human Settlements was agreed to with the DA's support after securing 255 votes against 97. After budget votes for other departments, Malema raised the issue of the Human Settlements Department budget. 'I want you to make an emphasis the DA voted for the Human settlements budget,' he said in reference to House chairperson Cedric Frolick. But, DA leader John Steenhuisen said his party's vote for the national Budget marked the successful conclusion of the 2025 Budget process. Steenhuisen said his party played a critical role in shaping the Budget, citing the scrapping of the proposed 2% VAT increase and their insistence on the removal of ministers implicated in unlawful conduct. 'We welcome the president's decision to act decisively against Minister Nkabane by removing her from office. This move was necessary, appropriate, and signals a renewed commitment to restoring the integrity of the GNU,' he said. 'While this is only one step, it is a meaningful one in the broader fight against entrenched corruption. What the country needs now is consistency in applying these principles across the board,' Steenhuisen said. DA deputy chief whip Baxolile Nodada said that when they indicated that they would not support the budget of the Higher Education Department, it was something based on a principle. 'We would never tolerate any form of corruption or mishandling or misleading of Parliament at any given point. Whoever thinks it is cheap political points and does not understand the Constitution and the rules of the House, maybe they should go and study it. Ultimately, the DA supports this vote,' said Nodada.
