Cape Town - Parliament wants action taken against the chairperson of the audit committee for the Department of Correctional Services JS Masite after she was heard saying “these people are boring” at the end of a virtual parliamentary meeting on Tuesday.
This after the portfolio committee on justice and correctional services unanimously agreed on Wednesday that a proper investigation was required into a video that went viral in which the chairperson of the department's audit committee was seen making “insulting” comments shortly after a meeting with the committee.
Committee chairperson Bulelani Magwanishe said the video gave the impression that the utterances were made in relation to MPs serving on the committee.
"Members of the portfolio committee saw this as an irritation to its oversight work," he said.
In the video, the audit committee chairperson was heard in Sotho after a briefing from the office of the Auditor-General South Africa saying “these people are boring”.
MPs, fluent in Sotho, said even the loose translation was subtle and the actual words were “deeper and more insulting”.
Audit committee chairperson JS Masite has since explained that the utterances referred to a different meeting.
But, committee members have maintained that a certain decorum was required when officials or presenters were in virtual meetings as it was on the same level as being in Parliament.
They took issue with her comments that it is unfortunate that the video went viral and agreed that as a leader she was expected to behave in a professional manner.
Magwanishe said the committee members saw her conduct as an insult not only to the committee, but also to Parliament.
He said the committee felt that the issue could not just be left at the explanation provided by Masite.
“The committee has resolved that an urgent investigation is required. It is important that Parliament is respected," Magwanishe said.
" You might not like the MPs, but they should be respected, as they represent the people of South Africa. We therefore require that the Commissioner of Corrections respond to us by Friday including remedial actions," he said.
Commissioner Arthur Fraser said Masite was not an official of the department, but rather an independent appointment by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola.
Fraser said it should be Lamola who should conduct the investigation.
Magwanishe said Lamola has already been made aware of the issue.
"As long as the deadline of the report regarding the investigation is met, it does not matter who does the investigation. Furthermore, we require the proof and details of the meeting she claimed that her comments refers to," he said.
Political Bureau