Nkandla ad-hoc committee could start Thursday
The ANC named its seven members for the committee yesterday.
CAPE TOWN - The Parliamentary ad-hoc committee that will consider Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's report on Nkandla and President Jacob Zuma's response to it, could start working as early as tomorrow.
The ANC named its seven member s for the committee yesterday.
The ruling party has come under fire from the Democratic Alliance (DA) for taking almost the full 10 working days allowed by Parliament's rules to select its MPs.
Video: Zuma is the face of the ANC.
The DA has asked the Speaker of the National Assembly, Max Sisulu, to extend the committee's deadline from 30 April to 5 May.
The ANC's Moloto Mothapo says that will be for the committee to decide.
"Whether it can achieve its mandate within the stipulated time should be the collective decision of the committee when it meets for its first meeting. It can't be some request coming from the DA."
DA Parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko says the committee needs more time to do its work.
"If the ANC rejects this request then it will be clear that its intention has always been to delay the start of the committee and to prevent it from eliciting answers from Zuma."
BATTLE LINES DRAWN
With Parliament's ad hoc committee on Nkandla now set to start work, battle lines are already being drawn.
Zuma's told Parliament he's waiting for the Special Investigating Unit's report before making a full response to the report, which found that he and his family unduly benefitted from the costly upgrades to his private home.
The ANC says the seven senior MPs it's named for the committee will act without fear or favour.
Mothapho says the party wants long-serving MP Cedric Frolick to chair it.
"We're confident he's the right candidate for this position."
Mazibuko say both the president and the Madonsela must appear before it.
"The DA won't stop asserting Parliaments' rightful place as the people's watchdog nor will we stop pushing for answers from all of those implicated in this scandal."
Mothapho says issues are for the committee to decide setting the stage for early battles when it finally gets down to work.
