No mercy for Mchunu as MPs promise rigorous questioning at Mkhwanazi hearing

Inkatha Freedom Party’s Mangaqa Albert Mncwango said that ‘die poppe sal dans’ (the paw-paw will hit the fan) when the members of Parliament will get the chance to grill suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu next week Tuesday.

Mchunu appeared on Thursday before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

He expected to appear in front of the committee again on Friday, and next week, on Tuesday, when the MPs will get a chance to question him.

Commenting on his testimony thus far, Mncwango said that the minister has been looking at the constitutional imperatives and the definition of roles between the minister and the national commissioner. 

“Obviously, today and tomorrow is set aside for evidence leader, Advocate Norman Arendse SC, to actually do his job, and we are actually just following. Of course, ‘die poppe sal dans’ on Tuesday, when members will actually be cross-examining the minister. 

“As you know, the minister is very central in this investigation, so it's very important that his responses should actually be able to clear the air, because as it is right now, people are very worried about their own safety in this country.

“If the criminal justice structures are at loggerheads, it's really very worrisome. The minister will do well to actually dispel all other negative notions that are doing the rounds out there, but we will see it next week how it pans out next week.”

When questioned about any leniency or conflict of interest that could arise, given that the minister has been a fellow member of parliament, Mncwango said it is their job to hold the executive to account. 

“That is the reason why we have this ad hoc committee, because we understand the separation of powers. You see, in this country, we are a constitutional democracy.

“We have Parliament, we have the Executive, we have the Judiciary. So that is why you have the Madlanga commission also continuing there because it is a creation of the Executive, and Parliament has its own processes. 

“We have a duty, constitutional duty, as members of parliament to oversee the activities of the minister, to oversee the activities of the Executive,” Mncwango said.

“The Minister of Police actually falls within the category of the Executive and therefore he has to account.

“We are not going to be pulling any punches, as I said, ‘die poppe sal dans’. We are going to go all out to establish the truth,” Mncwango said.

“We've got to do our job. If our colleagues have anything to do, then they will have to take the witness box and then face the music. Then we fire questions at them, and it's going to happen.

“We, (also have) some of them, actually lined them up as witnesses in certain respects.”

theolin.tembo@inl.co.za