The Speaker of the National Assembly has turned down a request by the DA that parliament discuss the recent leaking of classified state security documents.
Baleka Mbete, in a letter to MP David Maynier, the DA spokesman on defence and military veterans, said the request had been turned down because the matter was being investigated by Minister of State Security David Mahlobo.
Classified documents made public by United Arab Emirates TV news channel Al Jazeera appear to have been obtained from South African intelligence sources.
They deal with foreign spies operating in South Africa, al-Qaeda bomb threats and an alleged plot to assassinate African Union Commission chairman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. It is considered the worst South African intelligence breach in 20 years.
"While I agree that this is an important matter, we should allow the current processes to run their course," Mbete wrote.
Said Maynier: "I'm obviously disappointed that my request for a debate on the spy-cables scandal was turned down.
"I have requested the joint standing committee on intelligence to conduct a separate investigation and table a special report on the matter in parliament."
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