Ad Hoc Committee Extends Deadline to April 30 Amid Disagreements on Completion Date

The Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations of corruption, political interference, and collusion between law enforcement, the judiciary, and criminal elements, on Tuesday, agreed to continue with its business until April 30 as suggested by National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza.

This followed the committee’s failure to agree on a realistic completion date for its work.

The Extension

Committee chairperson, Soviet Lekganyane , said members were given two opportunities to discuss after Didiza gave the committee until April 30.

“In this meeting, it emerges that there is no agreement on the end date for this committee. As it stands now, we will work until the date the Speaker has given.”

The Timeline

The committee was meant to meet last week to decide on the extension but could not meet. Lekganyane then wrote to Didiza, asking for an extension until the end of June.

Didiza responded on Monday saying June was too far.

“She proposed that the report submission date be 30 April,” parliamentary legal advisor Andile Tetyana said.

The Challenges

The support team had proposed a draft report be adopted on April 24 and circulated for comment before final adoption on May 14a timeline that did not consider budget hearings in April.

The committee also heard that not all transcriptions for the public hearings were available because they were awaited from the service provider.

Divisions

Some parties wanted the support staff to continue compiling the report, with a decision to be taken around April 30 on whether to ask for another extension.

Others wanted a more realistic date before a request for extension could be made.

The MK Party felt that many issues were left out in the judiciary and correctional service, with too much concentration on the police portfolio.

“We still raise the issue that we have not finished our job,” said MK Party MP David Skosana.

No More Witnesses

Lekganyane said the committee will not call for further witnesses but will ask specific individuals in writing for clarity and answers.

“Deadline is 30 April, and we are unable to agree on another date, which we think can be the end date of the committee. We don’t have a basis to make such a decision. There is no report before us. Some transcripts are missing.”

The Bottom Line

The committee has until 30 April. Transcripts are missing. There’s no agreement on an end date.

The Speaker said June is too far. The committee will work with what it hasand report back when it can.

{Source: IOL}

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