Opposition parties walk out of Nkandla ad hoc committee

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Opposition party members walked out of parliament's ad-hoc committee considering the Public Protector's report on Nkandla.

This, as debate continued for a second day on the powers accorded to the office of the Public Protector and whether her recommendations are binding.

The ANC said on Thursday that President Jacob Zuma could not be held liable for misspending on his Nkandla home, nor be made to refund the money as recommended by Advocate Thuli Madonsela in her report on Nkandla.

Opposition parties threatened to withdraw after senior ANC MP Mathole Motshekga told the committee that the majority of legal minds agreed with the president's view that
remedies put forward by the public protector were not binding.

Continuing the debate on Friday Motshekga said there are four reports on the Nkandla issue before the committee and that all the recommendations should be taken into consideration.

"What we need to do is to look at the merits and demerits of the remedial actions of all of them and come to our own independant position. We are not here to "rubber stamp" anything. We are the highest forum for the consideration of national issues and we are not an equal of the Public Protector"

DA parliamentary leader, Mmusi Maimane said the Committee must take the Constitution into account when considering the Public Protector's report.

"There are two points, the one must be resolved by a Constitutional aspect. Get the advice and get that council and lets get it on the go. The second issue is, if we are not going to review, then let's ask the simple question. What are the implementation steps and to get further clarity, lets ask for the President to be here" he said

The Committee was adjourned to next Tuesday to consider recommendations in all the reports on Nkandla before it.