EFF MP Sihle Lonzi warned he could be held liable for identifying NYDA board candidate during interview scoring

CAPE TOWN - Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Sihle Lonzi has been warned that he could be held personally liable for identifying a candidate vying for a seat on the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) during the interview scoring process despite being told not to do so.

While the candidate has not been named by the committee, it can be inferred from deliberations last week that the complainant is the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL)'s treasurer-general, Zwelo Masilela.

Masilela faced a particularly hard grilling from Lonzi during interviews in February and has not made the final shortlist.

Lonzi was on Tuesday apologetic for his actions and unmoved by the threat of legal action, saying he acted in the public interest.

Parliament's committee on women, youth and persons with disabilities was informed on Tuesday that Parliament had received a legal letter from a candidate complaining that his personal information was not protected in the scoring of interviews for the NYDA board.

Chairperson Liezl van der Merwe called out Lonzi for disobeying her instructions last week.

She said that questions Lonzi asked during the interviewing process that were not sanctioned by the committee and deemed inappropriate or political were discounted in the scoring process.

"You will personally be held liable for the breach of the POPI Act, and then also personally held liable for the costs of this exercise if it is [challenged.]"

But Lonzi was undeterred.

He said he was only exposing dishonesty from the candidate in question.

"I don't know why people are now suddenly becoming defensive, being angry because we have potentially shown the public that some of these candidates may not necessarily have the ethical stature that we are looking for."

But the ANC's Tshehofatso Chauke-Adonis said Lonzi should face consequences for his behaviour, saying it appeared he was deliberately parachuted in to serve on the committee at the eleventh hour to wage a political battle.

The president will be asked to appoint seven of the candidates for a renewable three-year term.

Last week, Van der Merwe condemned the cyber bullying some of the candidates were subjected to following February's public interviews which were broadcast, saying it could discourage applicants in future.

Van der Merwe said she was disappointed that candidates who couldn't answer questions adequately were made fun of on social media. 

"I felt that to have been unfortunate because it amounts to cyber bullying, and I think that really goes against the spirit of what we had wanted as a portfolio committee. We are here to give young people a hand up, and not to ridicule them," she said at the time. 

But it didn't stop Lonzi from ignoring a request from her not to identify the candidates as MPs scored the candidates for the final shortlist. 

As he had done during the interviews, Lonzi continued to single out Masilelo.

"Number ten, which I believe is Mr Zwelo Masilelo, is zero," he said, as he read his scores into the record. 

The following candidates have been shortlisted by the committee for recommendation to the president:

Kelly Sandra Baloyi
Thembisile Precious Mahuwa
Mfaniseni Wiseman Mbatha
Bonga Siphesihle Makhanya
Sibusiso Makhathini
Irfaan Mangera
Sunshine Minenhle Myende
Busisiwe Nandipha Nxumalo
Xabiso Nicholas Nyati