Johannesburg - National police chief General Riah Phiyega is facing a grilling from MPs over chaos in Parliament where her officers were used to eject EFF members during a stand-off with Speaker Baleka Mbete on Thursday night.
The chairman of the portfolio committee on police, Francois Beukman, confirmed on Monday that Phiyega would face his committee on Wednesday.
While this is a scheduled meeting of the portfolio committee with Phiyega, MPs - particularly from the opposition - are expected to take her to task over the events at the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The opposition has objected to the use of police in the removal of MPs from the National Assembly, arguing that it was illegal. They believe protection officers from Parliament were better placed to perform such a task.
Police officers in white shirts and black pants were lumped together with Parliament’s security officers during the SONA.
This was one of the major security operations undertaken by the police in Parliament on an important day in the political calendar.
In the past three incidents when EFF MPs were ejected from Parliament, police officers were used.
This time the officers were deployed in full force ahead of the SONA and were seen undergoing training in preparation for the EFF’s disruption of the speech.
The party had threatened since late last year to disrupt the event.
Beukman said he did not want to comment on what happened on Thursday.
“I will give my reflections on Wednesday in the portfolio committee meeting. At this stage I would prefer not to comment,” said Beukman.
He confirmed that Phiyega would lead her delegation to talk about lax security at the country’s borders in Mpumalanga.
But opposition MPs are set to ask her tough questions on what happened last week.
DA leader Helen Zille and EFF president Julius Malema said last week, after the events unfolded in Parliament, they would seek legal advice on the involvement of the police in the removal of the EFF members.
They said that was against the law and the constitution.
There is also an indication that EFF MP Reneilwe Mashabela would sue the Speaker because of the injuries she suffered as a result of the heavy-handed tactics used by the police to eject them.
Phiyega has been under fire in recent times over a number of issues in her office.
The use of police in Parliament would further pile pressure on her because MPs would demand answers.
Western Cape community safety MEC Dan Plato has broken ranks with his colleagues in other provinces by criticising the use of the police in the national legislature.
While the police have provincial commissioners, they remain a national competence.
The national police commissioner is directly in charge of the almost 200 000-strong police service and its various divisions.
Phiyega’s appearance before the portfolio committee was to take place at the same time as Parliament debates the SONA.
President Jacob Zuma is expected to reply to the debate a day after Phiyega has made her appearance in Parliament.
Political Bureau