The ANC today beat down another move by the DA to have Danny Jordaan appear before the Sports committee to account for the Fifa scandal‚ claiming‚ among other things‚ it was sub judice and a political ploy by the party to win the Nelson Mandela Bay metro where he is now mayor.
DA MP Solly Malatsi had written to the committee to request that Jordaan‚ who was head of the Local Organising Committee at the time‚ be called to account for the Fifa scandal. However‚ ANC members on the committee blocked the move outright claiming it was sub-judice and saying that it was Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula who needed to account.
It is the second time that Malatsi has made the request. Last week the committee blocked the move saying it was best left until the investigation had been completed.
Sparks flew in the committee as MPs bickered. At one point‚ ANC MP Duduzile Manana reached over and turned off the microphone of the UDM’s Mncedisi Filtane‚ while he was speaking.
Earlier‚ committee chair Beauty Dlulane ordered that he could not comment on the matter as it had been raised during a review of last week’s minutes and as he had not been present‚ he could not contribute. She however ordered Manana to apologise saying "we don’t do that" and allowed Filtane to contribute to the argument when the new letter was raised as a separate point on the agenda.
Malatsi argued that with new information emerging in the media about the bribery scandal every day‚ the committee should get the information‚ first hand‚ from those who were there at the time.
He was supported by his colleague Bergman who said that the scandal represented "another cloud of corruption hanging over our heads" and the Filtane‚ who said the committee "is the last hope of this country barring the courts of law" on the matter.
However several ANC members listed several reasons why Jordaan should not account.
Samuel Mmusi‚ declaring "we are not going to call any Danny Jordaan"‚ said that new information would continue to come to light "and we don’t want to get the information in bits and pieces".
He also claimed that because a South African had been indicated‚ the matter was "sub judice".
Malatsi however said that this was obfuscation and said that the matter was not being investigated by any South African law enforcement agency. He suggested that the Parliamentary legal services determine whether it was indeed a hurdle.
Mmusi however said South Africa was a member of Interpol and the International Accord of Justice and "once you’ve become a member‚ you comply".
"I am going to need a very powerful doctor of law to come convince me this is not sub judice‚" he said.
Manana meanwhile added that as Malatsi’s original letter had referred to the money being paid by government officials‚ it would be a government official who would need to account.
She also claimed "they want the municipality where Danny Jordaan is" before being ruled out of order by the committee chair again.
Strike Ralegoma‚ also of the ANC‚ meanwhile said "certain political parties" were using the story to continue a narrative of corruption.
The party also argued that the buck stopped with the Mbalula as Sports Minister‚ even though he was not the minister at the time.
Dlulane ruled that Mbalula would be requested to account despite objections from Malatsi and Filtane that he also be accompanied by SAFA and members of the former LOC.
ANC shields Danny Jordaan from MPs
DA MP Solly Malatsi had written to the committee to request that Jordaan‚ who was head of the Local Organising Committee at the time‚ be called to account for the Fifa scandal. However‚ ANC members on the committee blocked the move outright claiming it was sub-judice and saying that it was Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula who needed to account.
It is the second time that Malatsi has made the request. Last week the committee blocked the move saying it was best left until the investigation had been completed.
Sparks flew in the committee as MPs bickered. At one point‚ ANC MP Duduzile Manana reached over and turned off the microphone of the UDM’s Mncedisi Filtane‚ while he was speaking.
Earlier‚ committee chair Beauty Dlulane ordered that he could not comment on the matter as it had been raised during a review of last week’s minutes and as he had not been present‚ he could not contribute. She however ordered Manana to apologise saying "we don’t do that" and allowed Filtane to contribute to the argument when the new letter was raised as a separate point on the agenda.
Malatsi argued that with new information emerging in the media about the bribery scandal every day‚ the committee should get the information‚ first hand‚ from those who were there at the time.
He was supported by his colleague Bergman who said that the scandal represented "another cloud of corruption hanging over our heads" and the Filtane‚ who said the committee "is the last hope of this country barring the courts of law" on the matter.
However several ANC members listed several reasons why Jordaan should not account.
Samuel Mmusi‚ declaring "we are not going to call any Danny Jordaan"‚ said that new information would continue to come to light "and we don’t want to get the information in bits and pieces".
He also claimed that because a South African had been indicated‚ the matter was "sub judice".
Malatsi however said that this was obfuscation and said that the matter was not being investigated by any South African law enforcement agency. He suggested that the Parliamentary legal services determine whether it was indeed a hurdle.
Mmusi however said South Africa was a member of Interpol and the International Accord of Justice and "once you’ve become a member‚ you comply".
"I am going to need a very powerful doctor of law to come convince me this is not sub judice‚" he said.
Manana meanwhile added that as Malatsi’s original letter had referred to the money being paid by government officials‚ it would be a government official who would need to account.
She also claimed "they want the municipality where Danny Jordaan is" before being ruled out of order by the committee chair again.
Strike Ralegoma‚ also of the ANC‚ meanwhile said "certain political parties" were using the story to continue a narrative of corruption.
The party also argued that the buck stopped with the Mbalula as Sports Minister‚ even though he was not the minister at the time.
Dlulane ruled that Mbalula would be requested to account despite objections from Malatsi and Filtane that he also be accompanied by SAFA and members of the former LOC.
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