ANC wants another Nkandlagate 

18 November 2015

The ANC in the Police Portfolio Committee have voted to squash the DA’s Critical Infrastructure Amendment Bill, in a move that can only be seen as deference to the Executive and an abolition of Parliament’s autonomy as the constitutionally mandated law-making body of South Africa. 

The passage of this Bill would have prevented another Nkandla from happening again, by repealing the Apartheid-era National Key Points Act – used to hide and defend the Nkandlagate scandal. Of course, the ANC has 246 million reasons not to support this bill. 

This unfortunate and inexplicable development effectively means that the crucially needed repeal of this oppressive law has been stalled unreasonably. 

Indeed, the ANC stuck to their flawed argument in rejecting the Bill as undesirable based on the Police Minister’s intent to table his own Bill. Beyond this, they have not been able to raise substantial and rational reasons to show why work on the DA’s Bill cannot begin, taking into account any subsequent representations from the Minister and public submissions which may assist the Committee in developing this legislation.    

I will be submitting parliamentary questions to Minister Nhleko to establish when his Critical Infrastructure Bill will be tabled to Parliament for processing by the Committee. A clear date must be made public without any further delay. His response will show whether the ANC argument that the department would “soon” bring a Bill on this matter to the Committee holds water or not. 

The ANC’s decision to not back much needed reform is a missed opportunity for all South Africans, and opens the doors for more abuse of power. Their conduct today reflects on just how seriously they take the fight against corruption in South Africa today. 

Issued by Zakhele Mbhele, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 18 November 2015