National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza has tasked three parliamentary committees to look into allegations that police minister Senzo Mchunu has links to underworld criminals.
Didiza said on Wednesday she had asked the police and the justice and constitutional development portfolio committees and the joint standing committee on intelligence to look into the allegations.
“The speaker of the National Assembly Thoko Didiza has today [Wednesday] asked the portfolio committees on police, justice and constitutional development and the joint standing committee on intelligence to consider, on an urgent basis, in terms of their respective mandates, the wide-ranging allegations regarding security matters that have implications for the country’s national security made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and report to the National Assembly,” parliament said.
“In relation to the debate requested by two political parties, the speaker believes it would not be appropriate to hold such a debate as these allegations remain unsubstantiated.”
Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said only the portfolio committees on police and justice and constitutional development will perform its probe in public while the work of the joint committee on intelligence will work in secret.
“To provide clarity: the portfolio committees on police and on justice and constitutional development will consider the matter jointly through open meetings, consistent with their established procedures for conducting parliamentary business,” said Mothapo.
“The joint standing committee on intelligence, however, is governed by a different set of rules due to the sensitive nature of its oversight responsibilities. As such, it will deliberate on the matter separately from the two committees and in accordance with its established procedures, which include closed sessions as per parliamentary rules”.
On Sunday Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of having ties to underworld bosses including Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala who is in jail on charges of money laundering, conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.
Mkhwanazi said he had proof that the links between Mchunu and Matlala ran deep.
He insinuated the decision by Mchunu to direct that the KZN political killings task team be disbanded was taken as part of doing Matlala's bidding.
Though Mchunu directed that the task team be disbanded, national commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola is yet to act.
Asked about it on Wednesday, Masemola said he has not written a letter disbanding the task team, which Mkhwanazi confirmed was still active.
“I am sure you have not seen any letter I have signed to close the unit. I have not signed it and I don't think anybody has seen a letter where I have signed off the closure of the unit,” said Masemola.
He added he had no issue with the briefing by Mkhwanazi, which essentially exposed the internal battles in the country's security forces.
Mkhwanazi had told him in advance he would hold the briefing, Masemola said.
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