DURBAN - Parliament has been placed in the spotlight after the DA asked Speaker Baleka Mbete to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate allegations of state capture against President Jacob Zuma and his cabinet.
At a media briefing in Parliament on Monday, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said he had asked Mbete to form the committee to “fully probe the relations of captured ministers, the president and the Gupta family”.
Maimane said Parliament had the power to hold the executive accountable.
“This request will necessitate a debate on the National Assembly, in which we expect MPs to put South Africa first and agree to establish this committee,” he said.
It comes as Parliament awaits the decision of the Constitutional Court over the granting of a secret ballot in the motion of no-confidence against Zuma.
The Constitutional Court last year criticised Parliament for falling foul of the constitution over President Jacob Zuma’s financial liability for upgrades to his Nkandla homestead.
Mbete’s spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, said Mbete had not yet received the correspondence.
“The responsibility for the setting up of an ad hoc committee resides with the House, and not the Speaker. A motion is presented to the House and it then decides,” Mothapo said.
The proposal for the committee comes after Sunday newspapers reported about the relationship between the Guptas and government departments and state-owned entities.
It also comes against the backdrop of Zuma surviving another motion of no-confidence at the ANC national executive committee meeting over the weekend.
“Yesterday’s allegations and the existing state capture evidence reveal that at least five ministers are in the pockets of the Guptas,” Maimane said.
He said they wanted an 11-member committee to be drawn from the ANC, DA, EFF and a representative of smaller parties - and for it to conclude its business by the end of July.
According to Maimane, the committee should have the power to subpoena witnesses, including Zuma, the Guptas and others.
He said the failure by the ANC to recall Zuma at the weekend was an indication that the success of the state capture was in fact its project.
“Jacob Zuma is without doubt the head of a criminal organisation,” he said.
Both Maimane and Federal Council chairperson James Selfe said there was nothing hindering Parliament from instituting the probe in line with its constitutional obligation, despite the judicial review into the Public Protector’s state capture report by Zuma.
“This gives Parliament an opportunity to reclaim its job,” he said.
Selfe said: “It is clear that Jacob Zuma intends to fight the commission of inquiry to avoid accountability. The ad hoc committee will be appropriate in the short term.”
Maimane threatened that they would haul Mbete to court if she did not accede to their request. “If Baleka wants to violate the constitution, we will take it to whatever court in the country. We believe Parliament must do its job.”
Maimane said criminal charges, corruption, racketeering and treason were among the charges being considered.
“There is a case to be made that you are guilty of treason. Rather than leave it to someone to investigate, what we have done is to prepare a charge sheet and provide case law,” he said.