Baleka Mbete. Picture: TREVOR SAMSON
Baleka Mbete. Picture: TREVOR SAMSON

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IN AN unusual move, Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete has pleaded with opposition parties to show up in the House for Wednesday’s vote on a new inspector-general of intelligence.

In the letter, which was sent to all opposition parties, Ms Mbete writes: "As honourable members are aware, the position of inspector-general of intelligence has been vacant for a while. The absence of an incumbent ... means a crucial function, which includes monitoring the compliance of intelligence services with the Constitution, applicable laws and relevant policies, is not being performed. This is not desirable."

She goes on to stress in the letter that the Constitution obliges Parliament to fill the position, which has been vacant for a year, in reasonable time. "I appeal to all members to ensure, in the interests of the country, that this process is finalised," Ms Mbete writes.

However, Mandlakazi Sigcawu, the communications manager at the speaker’s office, told Business Day on Tuesday that the letter was in no way an attempt to get parties to support the nominated candidate — Cecil Burgess, a controversial figure in Parliament. The letter was merely an appeal for MPs to "show up, vote, and take the matter seriously", Ms Sigcawu said.

Commenting on Ms Mbete’s letter, the Right2Know Campaign’s Murray Hunter said: "It is true that the long delay in appointing an inspector-general has done terrible damage. But it is the speaker who has helped create that delay.

"If the speaker recognised the importance of appointing an inspector-general, why let it gather dust for nine months, and then manufacture a sense of urgency to pressure MPs to vote for a divisive candidate?"

Democratic Alliance (DA) chief whip John Steenhuisen said his party would not "buckle to Ms Mbete’s bullying". Mr Steenhuisen acknowledged that there was pressure on Parliament to finalise the process, because the position had been vacant for a year, but said: "We can’t let this compromise our Constitutional duty to ensure a fit and proper person is put forward, and not another African National Congress (ANC) cadre mandated to aid ... state capture."

Ms Mbete’s letter follows two failed attempts last year to bring the matter to the National Assembly, where a two-thirds majority is required to appoint the new inspector-general of intelligence.

But Wednesday’s vote takes place amid controversy that security and intelligence agencies have been captured to further personal political and business interests, while Mr Burgess, who was nominated by the joint standing committee on intelligence, has proven divisive among the opposition and within the ANC’s own ranks.

It will be up to acting ANC chief whip Doris Dlakude to get her party’s MPs into line, including ministers, as well as the DA, the Inkatha Freedom Party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the Congress of the People, the Freedom Front Plus and the African Christian Democratic Party — even though they have confirmed to Business Day they will not be supporting the vote.

Ms Dlakude had not responded to a request for comment on Tuesday, while EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu told Business Day that the party was still studying the contents of Ms Mbete’s letter.