DA MPs walk out over Jiba questions

Two DA MPs staged a walk out during a justice committee meeting with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Parliament on Thursday.

This followed a decision by committee chairperson Dr Mathole Motshekga not to allow questions on the appointment of advocate Nomgcobo Jiba to her post as the head of prosecution services.

DA MPs Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach and Werner Horn walked out of the committee after NPA head Shaun Abrahams said he could not discuss Jiba's appointment as the matter was before the courts.

Jiba was still facing an application she be struck off the advocates' roll.

MPs wanted information on the procedures leading to Jiba’s appointment, but the chairperson set aside the questions.

ACDP MP Steve Swart said he aligned himself with the DA on the mooting of the question line, but did not walk out as he felt the meeting was important.

Making his introduction during the NPA’s meeting with the committee, Abrahams said Jiba had been appointed on merit alone, which prompted the MPs to ask about the procedures and logic behind the appointment.

Following the walkout, Motshekga said Breytenbach was not fit and proper to "pronounce herself on what was happening in the NPA as she had worked there" and said she should have excused herself from the meeting.

Breytenbach said Motshekga’s failure to allow debate on the matter was a complete abuse of Parliament and its processes.

"Motshkega has now made Parliament complicit in a despicable campaign to protect a Ms Jiba, who is presently the subject of an inquiry by the Pretoria Bar Council along with North Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions Sibongile Mzinyathi and discredited Commercial Crimes head Lawrence Mwrebi, to be struck from the Roll of Advocates as not fit and proper to be members of the profession."

Source: News24