Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma’s announcement of a board of inquiry into national police commissioner Riah Phiyega’s fitness to hold office was met with mixed opinions from politicians, commentators, and ordinary South Africans.
“Riah Phiyega probably just found out politicians will throw you under the bus even if you lie on their behalf,” commented constitutional law professor Pierre de Vos on Twitter.
Zuma on Tuesday made the announcement of the board’s establishment “in terms of Sections 9(1) of the South Africa Police Service Act, 1995”. The board would look into the allegations of misconduct by Phiyega as well as her “capacity to execute official duties efficiently”.
The board would be chaired by Judge Cornelis Claasen. He would be assisted by advocates Bernard Khuzwayo and Anusha Rawjee.
The country’s two biggest opposition parties, the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), welcomed the announcement but questioned why Phiyega alone was being held accountable for the Marikana massacre on August 16 which claimed 34 lives in what’s believed to the be the biggest loss of life in a single police operation in post-apartheid South Africa.
“The EFF welcomes President Jacob Zuma’s overdue decision to constitute a board of inquiry on National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega’s fitness to hold office following her role in the brutal massacre of mineworkers in Marikana,” said EFF spokeman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.
However, Ndlozi said the party was concerned that Zuma extended the deadline by which Phiyega should explain to the President why she should not be suspended pending the outcome of the board inquiry.
“This is disheartening and seems like a merry-go-round,” he said.
Ndlozi added that the EFF hoped Phiyega would not serve as the “scapegoat” while politicians allegedly involved were left untouched, leading to a “half-baked solution”.
“Phiyega must not be made into the post-apartheid Eugene De Kock who was the sacrificial lamb that was hanged for all apartheid sins,” he said.
The EFF repeated its calls to Zuma to hold deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa and then-police minister Nathi Mthethwa accountable for the “causal effect on the ultimate decision to plan the mass killings of workers in Marikana”.
“It cannot be that politicians who participate in crimes against humanity are left to flourish, rewarded with cabinet posts, whilst those who report to them take the blame and fall,” said Ndlozi.
The DA, largely echoing the sentiments of the EFF, welcomed the establishment of the board of inquiry into the “embattled” Phiyega and her capacity to hold office.
“This is one step closer to attaining justice for the victims and families of those who were brutally massacred by a [South African Police Service] acting with lethal force on that fateful day,” said DA MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard.
“Phiyega, who bares ultimate responsibility for SAPS operations, must be disciplined and ultimately fired.”
Kohler-Barnard also criticised Zuma’s decision to give Phiyega more time to provide him with submissions on why she should not be suspended.
“She should be suspended immediately so she does not use her powerful position to tamper with the inquiry,” she said, “That she isn’t suspended already is inexplicable.”
The DA also called on Zuma to hold politicians like Mthethwa and former mineral resources minister Susuan Shabangu accountable, but made no mention of Ramaphosa.
United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa also weighed in on twitter, saying: “Zuma appoints board of inquiry into Phiyega… How about her former Minister?”.
Another social media user Mash Ratatouille said government was wasting the taxpayer’s money with the commission since “the public has witnessed Phiyega’s industrial incompetence” while another, Mmabatho J. Seete said it seemed as if “commissions of inquiry are Zuma’s tool to deflect responsibility for his failed appointments”.
ANA