Parliament’s state capture committees must get to work: DA

Democratic Alliance chief whip John Steenhuisen is worried about the delay by parliamentary portfolio committees in proceeding with an inquiry into state capture.

Parliament's inquiry into state capture was being frustrated he said by a lack of urgency and action.

"Too much time has passed since the #GuptaLeaks e-mails exposed the true nature and extent of the Gupta family’s influence over President Jacob Zuma and the ANC government. The DA will not allow Parliament’s probe into state capture to be stalled any longer‚” Steenhuisen said in a statement on Monday.

"Tomorrow will be exactly two months since House Chairperson of Committees‚ Cedric Frolick‚ directed the chairpersons of the portfolio committees on Home Affairs‚ Mineral Resources‚ Public Enterprises and Transport to ‘urgently probe the [State Capture] allegations and report back to the National Assembly’‚” Steenhuisen noted.

The chairpersons were also directed to “ensure immediate engagement with the concerned Ministers to ensure that Parliament gets to the bottom of the allegations”.

While all these committees were scheduled to meet this week‚ only the public enterprises and mineral resources committees would deal with state capture-related matters.

Even more worryingly‚ Steenhuisen added‚ was that only one meeting for each of the four committees have so far been scheduled for the third term of Parliament.

"The DA urges the committees that have been tasked to probe State Capture to begin their important work immediately. To assist in this task‚ the DA will be tabling the #GuptaLeaks e-mails in the relevant committees this week‚" he said.

Steenhuisen believed that Parliament was best placed to deal with the state capture allegations and has urged that the relevant committees be adequately capacitated and staffed to investigate them.

"It is now essential that each committee have evidence leaders‚ researchers and legal advisors appointed to assist in the process of compiling the terms of reference‚ witness lists and documentation lists."

- BusinessLIVE