As political parties do battle in court over the state capture report in Pretoria‚ its author‚ former public protector Thuli Madonsela‚ will be the subject of a debate in Cape Town in the National Assembly.
Tuesday’s plenary session will include the tabling of a motion from Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy president Floyd Shivambu to have Parliament invite Madonsela to address it.
The African National Congress (ANC) last week blocked the attempt to have Madonsela brief MPs on her highly contested report on state capture‚ in what would have been her final swan song in parliament.
The release of that report has been opposed by President Jacob Zuma in the High Court in Pretoria where‚ on Tuesday a full bench is expected to hear his application. On the eve of the hearing‚ two ministers launched applications seeking to interdict the release of the report.
The report‚ concerning an investigation into complaints regarding any alleged improper and unethical conduct by Zuma and any other persons related to alleged improper relationships with the Gupta family‚ was finalised by former public protector Madonsela and she meant to release it on her last day in office on October 14.
The matter of Madonsela addressing the National Assembly first came up at a chief whip’s forum last week‚ where Shivambu made the suggestion.
The matter also came up at the National Assembly programme committee meeting which was chaired by Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli.
Had MPs agreed‚ it would have been the first time a leader of a Chapter 9 institution briefed the National Assembly.
The privilege is usually reserved for dignitaries and heads of state.
The last outsider to be given an audience with the National Assembly was former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.
ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu said: “I think it would be important that the matters that the honourable Shivambu has put on the table be clarified‚ so that an impression is not created that there is a meeting of minds in the chief whip’s forum that the outgoing public protector must address the house.”
He said there was no agreement in the chief whip’s forum to invite Madonsela.
Shivambu then asked that the matter at least be debated in the house.
– TMG Digital/Parliament Bureau
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