THE African National Congress (ANC) in Parliament has again given a clear indication that it will use its majority to thwart any opposition attempt to call President Jacob Zuma to testify to a committee about his role in the R246m upgrade to his Nkandla property.
"The office of the ANC chief whip is satisfied with President Jacob Zuma’s comprehensive response to all important reports, including the report of the public protector, relating to the security upgrades at his Nkandla private residence," ANC chief whip in the National Assembly Stone Sizani said on Monday.
Any parliamentary process on Nkandla had to run its course and the ANC was "confident that in processing the matter, the opinions of various role players, including those of the public protector, would be … sought by Parliament", he said.
But he did not mention Mr Zuma’s name as a potential witness, giving the clearest indication yet that the opposition clamour for him to be called would again be ignored.
Mr Sizani’s declaration that he was satisfied with Mr Zuma’s response follows the president’s long delayed reaction to the report of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela. It has been widely criticised as a nonresponse.
A declaration of satisfaction is an indication that there may be no intention of allowing an ad hoc committee to summon Mr Zuma.
Mr Zuma’s response effectively deflected a decision on whether he should pay back any money spent on the upgrades — as he was directed to do by Ms Madonsela — onto Police Minister Nathi Nhleko. Mr Zuma also complained that security upgrades were being conflated with other construction on the property.
In the dying days of the fourth Parliament in April, the ANC stonewalled opposition attempts to discuss Mr Zuma’s failure to respond in detail to the report of the public protector, saying there was insufficient time before the election. The lead stonewaller, Buti Manamela, is now a deputy minister in the Presidency.
"In responding to Parliament on this matter, it was important and appropriate that the president take into account not only one but all the applicable reports produced thus far in relation to the project to assist Parliament to sufficiently process the matter," said Mr Sizani.
"The public protector’s report, Secure in Comfort, itself does make reference to several reports already issued in this regard."
The war of words over Mr Zuma’s response to Ms Madonsela’s reports prompted the Presidency to respond at the weekend that it had "noted statements attributed to the office of the public protector stating that President Jacob Zuma had not responded to the public protector’s report on the Nkandla security upgrades".
"The president regards all the investigations and reports into the upgrades as important. He has responded to the National Assembly taking all the reports into account," it said.
Ms Madonsela’s office said Mr Zuma’s document had not responded to the findings in her report.
Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane said in response to Mr Sizani’s statement that he was stunned the ANC was satisfied with a report that undermined Parliament.
"The reality is that one office of the state is ignoring another and only the courts can adjudicate on this matter.
"It is clear to me that if the ad hoc committee to deal with Nkandla is not re-established then … chief whip Sizani and speaker Baleka Mbete are in their posts for the sole purpose of protecting Mr Zuma," Mr Maimane said.
President Jacob Zuma. Picture: MARTIN RHODES
THE African National Congress (ANC) in Parliament has again given a clear indication that it will use its majority to thwart any opposition attempt to call President Jacob Zuma to testify to a committee about his role in the R246m upgrade to his Nkandla property.
"The office of the ANC chief whip is satisfied with President Jacob Zuma’s comprehensive response to all important reports, including the report of the public protector, relating to the security upgrades at his Nkandla private residence," ANC chief whip in the National Assembly Stone Sizani said on Monday.
Any parliamentary process on Nkandla had to run its course and the ANC was "confident that in processing the matter, the opinions of various role players, including those of the public protector, would be … sought by Parliament", he said.
But he did not mention Mr Zuma’s name as a potential witness, giving the clearest indication yet that the opposition clamour for him to be called would again be ignored.
Mr Sizani’s declaration that he was satisfied with Mr Zuma’s response follows the president’s long delayed reaction to the report of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela. It has been widely criticised as a nonresponse.
A declaration of satisfaction is an indication that there may be no intention of allowing an ad hoc committee to summon Mr Zuma.
Mr Zuma’s response effectively deflected a decision on whether he should pay back any money spent on the upgrades — as he was directed to do by Ms Madonsela — onto Police Minister Nathi Nhleko. Mr Zuma also complained that security upgrades were being conflated with other construction on the property.
In the dying days of the fourth Parliament in April, the ANC stonewalled opposition attempts to discuss Mr Zuma’s failure to respond in detail to the report of the public protector, saying there was insufficient time before the election. The lead stonewaller, Buti Manamela, is now a deputy minister in the Presidency.
"In responding to Parliament on this matter, it was important and appropriate that the president take into account not only one but all the applicable reports produced thus far in relation to the project to assist Parliament to sufficiently process the matter," said Mr Sizani.
"The public protector’s report, Secure in Comfort, itself does make reference to several reports already issued in this regard."
The war of words over Mr Zuma’s response to Ms Madonsela’s reports prompted the Presidency to respond at the weekend that it had "noted statements attributed to the office of the public protector stating that President Jacob Zuma had not responded to the public protector’s report on the Nkandla security upgrades".
"The president regards all the investigations and reports into the upgrades as important. He has responded to the National Assembly taking all the reports into account," it said.
Ms Madonsela’s office said Mr Zuma’s document had not responded to the findings in her report.
Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane said in response to Mr Sizani’s statement that he was stunned the ANC was satisfied with a report that undermined Parliament.
"The reality is that one office of the state is ignoring another and only the courts can adjudicate on this matter.
"It is clear to me that if the ad hoc committee to deal with Nkandla is not re-established then … chief whip Sizani and speaker Baleka Mbete are in their posts for the sole purpose of protecting Mr Zuma," Mr Maimane said.
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