No sooner had the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) briefing to Parliament’s portfolio committee started on Wednesday that NPA head Shaun Abrahams attempted to have Democratic Alliance MP and former prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach‚ ejected from the meeting.
Abrahams said Breytenbach was still involved in a court case involving the NPA and therefore had to recuse herself from the meeting‚ during which the authority was due to brief the committee on its 2015-16 annual report.
This came the day after Abrahams announced a summons on Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan‚ former South African Revenue Service (SARS) commissioner Oupa Magashula and former deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay‚ over pension payments to the latter‚ which could constitute fraud.
As soon as portfolio committee chairperson Mathole Motshekga gave Abrahams the platform to begin his presentation‚ the NPA head took immediate aim at Breytenbach over her pending fraud and perjury charges.
In the case‚ the NPA contends that Breytenbach violated the National Prosecuting Authority Act by allegedly shredding e-mails and wiping information off her laptop‚ as she was stepping down from her role as NPA head of the commercial crimes unit.
“I’d like to raise an objection to Breytenbach’s presence. She is an accused in a matter that is advanced. I am not sure that it is okay to have accused persons in the committee‚” Abrahams said.
Breytenbach said she was surprised by Abrahams’s suggestion that she — an elected MP — should recuse herself from a meeting of a portfolio committee to which she was a member.
“I am astonished that the head of the NPA would raise that. We live in a democracy; thankfully I am going nowhere. It is also astonishing that he would mention it as this matter is sub judice. I am going nowhere‚” Breytenbach said.
Motshekga asked members for suggestions‚ adding that rule number 165 of the rules of Parliament stated that if a National Assembly member had any outstanding matters that could incriminate them‚ he or she could not continue to participate in meetings‚ and that this had to brought to the speaker’s attention.
ANC MP Bongani Bongo said with a good conscience‚ Breytenbach would do well to recuse herself‚ but that he was leaving the matter to her discretion.
“She must grant us indulgence. You can’t participate where you have a direct interest. If she feels her conscience allows her to continue to participate‚ it’s fine‚ but let us pursue legal advice on it‚” Bongo said.
ACDP MP Steve Swart sprang to Breytenbach’s defence‚ saying as an MP‚ she had to be allowed to participate in the sitting.
Breytenbach was eventually allowed to stay on in the meeting‚ where many expected Abrahams to be grilled over the Gordhan summons.
Members of the opposition — and many in the ANC — along with business groups and organisations have voiced their support for Gordhan‚ as he prepares to answer the summons on November 2.
- TMG Digital
Shaun Abrahams fails to have Glynnis Breytenbach ejected from parliamentary meeting
No sooner had the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) briefing to Parliament’s portfolio committee started on Wednesday that NPA head Shaun Abrahams attempted to have Democratic Alliance MP and former prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach‚ ejected from the meeting.
Abrahams said Breytenbach was still involved in a court case involving the NPA and therefore had to recuse herself from the meeting‚ during which the authority was due to brief the committee on its 2015-16 annual report.
This came the day after Abrahams announced a summons on Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan‚ former South African Revenue Service (SARS) commissioner Oupa Magashula and former deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay‚ over pension payments to the latter‚ which could constitute fraud.
As soon as portfolio committee chairperson Mathole Motshekga gave Abrahams the platform to begin his presentation‚ the NPA head took immediate aim at Breytenbach over her pending fraud and perjury charges.
In the case‚ the NPA contends that Breytenbach violated the National Prosecuting Authority Act by allegedly shredding e-mails and wiping information off her laptop‚ as she was stepping down from her role as NPA head of the commercial crimes unit.
“I’d like to raise an objection to Breytenbach’s presence. She is an accused in a matter that is advanced. I am not sure that it is okay to have accused persons in the committee‚” Abrahams said.
Breytenbach said she was surprised by Abrahams’s suggestion that she — an elected MP — should recuse herself from a meeting of a portfolio committee to which she was a member.
“I am astonished that the head of the NPA would raise that. We live in a democracy; thankfully I am going nowhere. It is also astonishing that he would mention it as this matter is sub judice. I am going nowhere‚” Breytenbach said.
Motshekga asked members for suggestions‚ adding that rule number 165 of the rules of Parliament stated that if a National Assembly member had any outstanding matters that could incriminate them‚ he or she could not continue to participate in meetings‚ and that this had to brought to the speaker’s attention.
ANC MP Bongani Bongo said with a good conscience‚ Breytenbach would do well to recuse herself‚ but that he was leaving the matter to her discretion.
“She must grant us indulgence. You can’t participate where you have a direct interest. If she feels her conscience allows her to continue to participate‚ it’s fine‚ but let us pursue legal advice on it‚” Bongo said.
ACDP MP Steve Swart sprang to Breytenbach’s defence‚ saying as an MP‚ she had to be allowed to participate in the sitting.
Breytenbach was eventually allowed to stay on in the meeting‚ where many expected Abrahams to be grilled over the Gordhan summons.
Members of the opposition — and many in the ANC — along with business groups and organisations have voiced their support for Gordhan‚ as he prepares to answer the summons on November 2.
- TMG Digital
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