Parliament’s Powers and Privileges Committee said on Wednesday that as former Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has resigned as a Member of Parliament, the committee has no jurisdiction to investigate the complaint of corruption brought by Democratic Alliance (DA) Chief Whip Siviwe Gwarube.

Last month, the DA approached Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests to ask for an investigation into Mapisa-Nqakula, following allegations that she accepted bribes during her tenure as the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.

News reports claimed Mapisa-Nqakula took bribes totalling R2.3-million from a South African National Defence Force contractor, and that she approved a 70% salary hike for the Secretary to Parliament Xolile George, raising his annual package from R2.6-million to R4.4-million.

The committee said it received a legal opinion from the Parliamentary Legal Services that states that the mandate of the committee extends only to Members of Parliament.

“Therefore, when a person ceases to be a Member of Parliament, the committee has no jurisdiction to consider a matter related to that person,” the committee said.

Meanwhile, DA Deputy Chief Whip Dr Annelie Lotriet said members of the African National Congress chose to “sustain their culture of impunity” and fought to protect the former Speaker and the appointment of George based on a misleading remuneration package.

She said the DA was in the process of considering options in terms of Sections 7 and 8 of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, the Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, and the Assembly Rules to take the investigation involving the former Speaker and George forward.

Lotriet pointed out that advocate Karrisha Pillay SC found on March 25, a week before the former Speaker’s resignation, that there was a prima facie case that warranted the committee’s investigation and a subsequent hearing.

“Adv Pillay’s finding of a prima facie case to be answered, confirms what the DA has long held – that the former Speaker misled Members of the Assembly when she induced them to endorse Mr George for appointment to the position of Secretary to Parliament at a much lower salary package, and possibly excluding more qualified candidates,” she said.

She noted that the fact that Mapisa-Nqakula resigned before she could be held accountable neither absolves her – and by extension the Executive Authority of Parliament – nor does it get to the bottom of the alleged irregular hiking of George’s salary.

She said George was still serving as the Secretary to Parliament, and the Executive Authority must be held accountable.