Speaker Didiza and political parties clash over witnesses in SAPS corruption probe

Political parties in Parliament are unhappy with the reluctance of National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza to issue a subpoena for two witnesses to appear before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating corruption within the police.

Didiza says she’s not been provided sufficient evidence that the committee has properly considered and addressed the security concerns raised by forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan and alleged police fixer Brown Mogotsi, who have both refused to come to Parliament in person.

Parties, including the African National Congress (ANC), Mkhonto we Sizwe (MK), and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), have tried to pin the blame on Parliament’s legal advisors for not sufficiently persuading the Speaker.

In a letter to the committee, Speaker Thoko Didiza says a court may rule it irrational for the committee not to accept a virtual appearance by investigator Paul O’Sullivan, who is currently in the United Kingdom, nor his offer to do so from a South African embassy.

The ANC’s Khusela Sangoni says the Speaker’s response had been “disappointing” and suggested she has not received cogent legal advice. The MK Party’s Sibonelo Nomvalo agreed, stating, "There’s no aspect that we overlooked, so it means that our legal team failed to persuade or to present the actual facts."

The EFF’s Julius Malema went a step further, alleging something more sinister at play. He stated, "The reluctance to summon Paul O’Sullivan and Brian Mogotsi really raises serious suspicions that we are dealing with something bigger than what we think we are dealing with here."

Meanwhile, the DA’s Ian Cameron says his party is prepared to accept a virtual appearance, while the Freedom Front Plus’s Wouter Wessels has warned of a legal challenge that will delay the committee’s work.

The committee has resolved that legal advisors respond to both O’Sullivan and Brian Mogotsi’s security concerns—informing them of the measures Parliament is able to provide for them to appear in person—and will again insist on the Speaker to summons them.