DA demands an apology

The DA wants the chairman of parliament's police portfolio committee, Annelize van Wyk, to be censured for failing to disclose "critical information" about adverse reaction to the Private Security Industry Regulation Act Amendment Bill.

Last week the bill was passed in parliament and now awaits President Jacob Zuma's signature to become law.

But the DA's policing spokesman, Diane Kohler Barnard, said embassies had written to parliament, complaining that the bill in its present form would violate South Africa's commitments to the World Trade Organisation.

Kohler Barnard complained that the embassies' correspondence had not been shown to the members of the portfolio committee.

"As a result of this information being withheld by Ms Van Wyk, committee members were not supplied with crucial information relating to investor confidence and trade implications prior to voting.

"Given this breach of due process, the DA will table a motion of censure against Ms Van Wyk.

''We will demand that the National Assembly be provided with an explanation and an apology," said Kohler Barnard.

Van Wyk said she would not comment until she had seen Kohler Barnard's complaint.