NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION NO: 2321
DATE OF QUESTION: 28 OCTOBER 2016
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 11 NOVEMBER 2016
Ms D Carter (Cope) to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services:
Whether he requested the attendance of the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Shaun Abrahams, at a meeting held at Luthuli House, the headquarters of the ANC, with the President, Mr Jacob G Zuma, and others, including himself; if so, (a) what was the purpose of the meeting, (b) was the impending prosecution of the Minister of Finance discussed and (c) what was the rationale behind scheduling an official meeting pertaining to Government at the headquarters of the ANC?
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REPLY:
(a) Yes. The purpose of the meeting was to reflect on a rapidly unfolding degenerating situation at institutions of higher learning as a direct result of the violence that had erupted during the protestation against the high cost of accessing higher education and the call for free education under the umbrella of the “Fees must fall” campaign. It was deemed prudent to return the appropriate State intervention to stabilise the situation as busses were burning, shops were being looted, streets were barricaded, buildings and vehicles were being vandalised and harm was inflicted on persons.
(b) No. The President had been apprised of the impending prosecution days before this meeting. It was hence not necessary to discuss the matter. The matter nevertheless had no bearing on the agenda of the meeting and was never raised nor discussed at all.
(c) It was an emergency meeting called by His Excellency, the Honourable President, who invited Ministers of the Justice, Crime, Prevention & Security Cluster. The President was leaving the country later that day. The location was most convenient, as most of the members of the executive who attended the meeting were already at the venue for other commitments. Due to the urgency of the situation the meeting thus took place at this venue.
Issued by Parliament, 21 November 2016
