Cape Town - Members of the Nkandla ad hoc committee want not just President Jacob Zuma subpoenaed to appear before it, but also Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, who they feel must also account for some of her findings.
Opposition MPs wasted no time in asking for clarity on the committee’s subpoena powers after unanimously electing Cedric Frolick as the chairman of the committee on Tuesday.
At its last meeting, the committee failed to elect a chair, as opposition parties joined forces to demand that it first review its terms of reference.
At Tuesday’s meeting, DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane said he needed to understand whether the committee will have powers to subpoena and whether it would not be “key and prudent” that in the next meeting, the committee deals with scheduling relevant members who can be subpoenaed.
In response, ANC MP Mathole Motshekga said that to subpoena people is not something “you sit and draw up like you are doing a shopping list”.
“You consider the reports, and the reports themselves will indicate the need, and then you decide on the persons to be subpoenaed on the basis of the need that emanates from the report and the discussion of the report, Motshekga said.
EFF leader Julius Malema sided with Maimane, saying the committee should not be impatient when dealing with issues like subpoenas.
“You can’t talk about the timetable without talking about subpoenaing people because it informs your timetable if you are going to have interactions with people,” Malema said.
After the meeting, Malema said the best possible way of getting a “proper response” from Zuma was when he was subpoenaed and appeared before the committee.
“And then we push him for a response. The public protector must also be given an opportunity to speak on her report in areas we think we can question her. Some of us are interested in the point where she says Zuma didn’t mislead Parliament.
“We want to ask her what informs that, because we’re of a strong conviction that Zuma misled Parliament,” Malema said.
ANC deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude said subpoenas couldn’t be discussed just yet while the committee was still dealing with reports.
“Let’s deal with that matter when that time comes. Subpoenaing people will mean that we are opening investigations. Our role is not to open investigation; investigation has already been done,” Dlakude added.
Frolick urged members on the committee not to use the word “subpoena” lightly.
“Subpoena comes at the end of a process. Parliament will exercise – and this ad hoc committee will exercise – their powers in line with Rule 138, and you first, if the need arises, you invite people to attend.
“You don’t start with a subpoena. Let’s not leave this meeting with an understanding that we will arrive next week with a list of names to be subpoenaed. That is not going to happen,” Frolick said.
Political Bureau