Parliament - Tempers flared in Parliament’s portfolio committee on justice on Wednesday as National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams objected to the presence of Democratic Alliance MP Glynnis Breytenbach during a briefing to the MPs.
Breytenbach, a former National Prosecuting Authority prosecutor, faces several charges, including fraud, perjury, defeating the ends of justice and contravening the NPA Act. Abrahams suggested to the committee that because the matter was at “an advanced stage” there was a conflict of interest to have her present while he was briefing MPs on the NPA’s annual report.
Committee chairman Mathole Motshekga asked Breytenbach what her conscience was telling her to do, to which the clearly irate MP replied: “I’m astonished that the national director can raise a matter like that…one is innocent until proven guilty and I’m going nowhere.”
Motshekga later said that in terms of parliamentary rules he could not exclude Breytenbach from the meeting.
“If any information reflecting on the integrity of [National] Assembly members…the committee may not proceed upon that matter but must report that to the Speaker without delay.”
ACDP MP Steve Swart jumped to Breytenbach’s defence, saying: “I think honourable Breytenbach is an elected member and she’s entitled to participate.”
MPs agreed to continue the meeting, but the ANC suggested parliamentary legal advisors be approached on the matter.
African News Agency