Nkandla Committee is denying Draft Report to Opposition

06 November 2014

I have today written to Cedric Frolick, Chairperson of the Nkandla Ad Hoc Committee, requesting again that he provide a copy of the Committee's draft report to myself and the Opposition Members of the Committee.

While the ANC continues to keep the draft report private and confidential, it proves that the Ad Hoc Committee is nothing more than an ANC study group taking its cue from Luthuli House, not the Constitution, the Rules of Parliament or any other relevant legislation.

Since the first tabling of the report by the ANC seven days ago, all attempts by the DA to contact Mr Frolick have gone unanswered and are clearly being deliberately ignored.

It is critical that the Opposition receives the draft report in order to consider its accuracy and to ensure that it correctly reflects the reasons why the Opposition walked out of the Committee.

When it became clear that the ANC were opposed to all of our proposals for genuine oversight, such as requesting the President to appear before the Committee and having the Public Protector's remedial actions (as outlined in the Secure in Comfort report) scrutinised by the Committee, the Opposition walked out.

Walking out was a powerful demonstration that we would not sit as by-standers in an ANC Committee - but it did not terminate our membership of the Committee.

As members of the Committee we are entitled to receive the draft report and to comment on it. 

A committee report is a parliamentary document and cannot be kept secret by the ANC. Mr Frolick must release a copy of the report to all members of the Committee for open scrutiny without any further delay.

Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane MP, DA Parliamentary Leader, November 6 2014

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