Key Takeaways
- The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have differing opinions on whether members of the judiciary should appear before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating police corruption
- The committee plans to call at least six more witnesses and receive public submissions from 15 individuals and five civil society organizations before the end of January
- The EFF wants parliamentarians to respond to testimony regarding their alleged handling of Crime Intelligence information
- The MK Party has submitted a list of judges’ names to the committee, which have not been made public, and wants them to be investigated
- The committee has already heard from members of the judiciary, including outgoing National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shamila Batohi and Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) head Andrea Johnson
Introduction to the Conflict
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) clashed on Wednesday over whether members of the judiciary should appear before Parliament’s ad hoc committee probing police corruption. The committee, which is tasked with investigating allegations of corruption within the police force, has already heard from several witnesses and is planning to call at least six more before the end of January. However, the MK Party and the EFF have differing opinions on whether members of the judiciary should be summoned to testify before the committee.
The MK Party’s Demands
The MK Party is of the opinion that the committee should not only probe allegations made against the police, but also consider a list of judges’ names that the party has submitted to the committee. According to MK Party member David Skosana, the party has submitted a list of judges’ names that have not been made public, and wants them to be investigated. Skosana argued that the judiciary is not above the law and that the committee should investigate any allegations of wrongdoing, regardless of who is involved. "We need to have them here. It’s not only about the police. We have judgments which leave much to be desired. They are not a law unto themselves," said Skosana.
The EFF’s Response
However, the EFF leader Julius Malema disagreed with the MK Party’s demands, stating that while he remains critical of the judiciary, there is no substantial evidence implicating any judge in police corruption. Malema challenged Skosana to indicate which judges should be called to testify, causing the meeting to turn rowdy. "Stop being a coward. Tell us the name of a judge," Malema said. The EFF also wants parliamentarians, including the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Dianne Kohler-Barnard and the National Coloured Congress (NCC)’s Fadiel Adams, to respond to testimony given by witnesses regarding their alleged handling of Crime Intelligence information.
The Committee’s Stance
The committee chairperson, Soviet Lekganyane, stated that while there is no denial that there are problems within the judiciary, there is currently no evidence before the committee that warranted a specific judge being called to testify. The committee has already heard from members of the judiciary, including outgoing National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shamila Batohi and Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) head Andrea Johnson. Lekganyane emphasized that the committee’s primary focus is on investigating allegations of police corruption and that it will only consider calling judges to testify if there is substantial evidence to support such a move.
The Way Forward
The committee plans to continue its investigation into police corruption, with at least six more witnesses scheduled to testify before the end of January. The committee will also receive public submissions from 15 individuals and five civil society organizations, which will provide further insight into the allegations of police corruption. As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen whether the committee will summon members of the judiciary to testify, and whether the MK Party’s demands will be met. Regardless of the outcome, the committee’s investigation is an important step towards addressing the allegations of police corruption and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.