Africa-Press – South-Africa. Opposition parties have voiced their unhappiness at having an African National Congress (ANC) member elected as the chairperson of Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations of police corruption.
The ANC’s Soviet Lekganyane was elected unopposed to lead the ad hoc committee probing the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, but the Economic Freedom Fighters, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and ActionSA are not entirely happy about his election.
Lekganyane was elected at the committee’s first meeting in Parliament on Tuesday, signalling the start of Parliament’s three-month investigation process.
He was confirmed as the committee’s chairperson to lead the 18-member multiparty committee that will investigate several allegations of police malfeasance and political interference.
But ActionSA member of Parliament (MP) Dereleen James said while they note Lekganyane’s election, it would have been more fitting to elect someone from a party whose members are not implicated, in reference to suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
“How do we garner public trust here this morning when we have a chairperson that has been elected from the very party where all of these people come from?”
But Lekganyane defended his nomination, saying he represents the country’s interests.
“I was not sworn in here through the law of the ANC, there is only one law which we use to swear in members of Parliament. That is the law of the republic.”
LEKGANYANE VOWS TO KEEP PUBLIC IN HIS CONFIDENCE
Lekganyane said MPs should put South Africans first and not play politics.
He told the meeting that South Africans are losing confidence in state institutions with public trust at an all-time low.
Lekganyane said the committee must work towards changing the negative that citizens hold.
“All of us let’s work in the name of the people of South Africa. South Africans, if we look at the surveys that have been done previously, are losing confidence in public institutions including Parliament.”
Parties will now make submissions on the committee’s terms of reference, which must be finalised before close of business on Friday.
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