The Speaker of the KZN Legislature and the province’s Chairperson of the Ethics Committee – in this case KZN Deputy Speaker Meshack Hadebe – today forged ahead with a closed disciplinary hearing against DA KZN Leader Zwakele Mncwango, barring the media and the public from the process.
The hearing comes as a result of an official complaint by KZN Premier Willies Mchunu after Mr Mncwango published a photo of the cover page of the Moerane Commission’s Report on his Facebook page. The Premier’s complaint has led to charges of Unauthorised Publishing, Broadcasting of Proceedings, Gross Dereliction of Duty and Gross Dishonesty.
Last week the DA wrote to KZN Speaker, Lydia Johnson, (view here) to request that today’s disciplinary be open to both the media and the public in the interests of transparency. The Speaker’s response was to defer the matter to the disciplinary committee (view here).
This is a complete cop out. What she should have done was engage with the committee on the matter. Instead she simply absolved herself of all responsibility.
The Speaker has a responsibility to ensure the transparency of her institution. Today she has failed dismally in her mandate.
Today’s proceedings are also an abuse of public funds and the DA will submit parliamentary questions to the Office of the Speaker to determine the costs of this wasteful proceeding.
It is ironic that Mr Mncwango is the only person to have been taken to a hearing regarding the Moerane Commission Report, whereas other serious recommendations within the Report have not yet been acted on.
It is also interesting to note that while the Premier has been absent for most of the year due to ill-health, he now has the time and energy to pursue such trumped up charges. This is a clear indication of where both his – and his failing ANC’s – priorities lie.
The outcome of today’s hearing shows that the ANC in KZN will stop at nothing when it feels threatened. It also shows that the ANC has no regard for taxpayers’ money and is willing to use it to defend the indefensible.
On 8 May the people of KZN will have the opportunity to vote for a government which is transparent and which does not place its need for absolute power ahead of the needs of the people.