A third Parliamentary ad-hoc committee has been established to deal with spending on security at President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla home – but opposition parties have strongly objected to the terms that it only study the report by the report by Police Minister Nathi Nhleko.
They argued that the report subverted the powers of the Public Protector‚ Thuli Madonsela.
The African National Congress' (ANC's) terms for the new committee stated that it would consider the investigation released by Nhleko last week and found that Zuma was not responsible for paying back any of the money spent on a firepool‚ an amphitheatre‚ a new kraal and chicken run and a visitor's centre at his private residence.
In a motion in Parliament last night‚ chief whip of the ANC Stone Sizani proposed an ad-hoc committee composed of eight members of the ANC‚ three from the Democratic Alliance (DA)‚ one from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and two from other parties. There will also be 16 non-voting members‚ composed of five ANC members‚ two DA‚ one EFF and eight from other parties.
This is the third ad-hoc committee established to deal with Nkandla spending. Opposition parties walked out of the second ad hoc committee established in August last year.
The eight proposed ANC members are the same ones that served on the previous committee and include:
- Deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude‚
- house chairperson Cedric Frolick‚
- chair of the portfolio committee on justice and correctional services Mathole Motshekga‚
- chair of the portfolio committee on police Francois Beukman‚
- chair of the portfolio committee on telecommunications and postal services Mmamoloko Kubayi‚
- chair of the portfolio committee on tourism Beatrice Ngcobo‚
- whip of the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans Dumisani Gamede‚ and
- whip of the portfolio committee on science and technology‚ Lindiwe Maseko.
Last night‚ DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane proposed amendments that included that the Nhleko report be read together with the Public Protector's report and that President Zuma‚ Madonsela‚ Nhleko and Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi be called to appear before the committee. He also moved that the report be completed and submitted to the house within 30 days.
The amendments were however strongly objected to by the ANC and the DA called for a division of the house.
In his declaration‚ Maimane said the Nhleko report was unconstitutional and biased.
He said telling South Africans that a "swimming pool is a firepool is ridiculous".
EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu said the party "rejects with contempt the investigation by the executive of itself".
"We want accountability. We want the President to pay back the money‚" he said.
The Freedom Front Plus Corne Mulder said: "If the motion is accepted in terms of the proposal‚ it would mean that the Public Protector's report and her recommendations are simply ignored by Parliament".
He said the Madonsela report recommended that the police determine the amount owed and not a new investigation into whether the security was necessary.
Cope MP Mosiuoa Lekota said the report of the Public Protector should not be reviewed by "any structure other than the courts".
Some smaller parties including the UDM said they did not support the establishment of the committee.
Sizani however said the opposition was "kicking themselves" because they didn't "have a bite" of the earlier committee.
He said they missed the opportunity to call who they wanted to call in that committee.
The amendment was however not agreed to in a vote that saw 104 voting for it and 192 voting against.
The original motion was however adopted by 192 to 103.