Cape Town - The Rules Committee is working on a plan that will hold former MPs accountable for their alleged role in state capture.
This was after Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula had referred four current members of Parliament to the ethics committee for action after they were implicated in state capture.
Mapisa-Nqakula had a meeting with leaders of parties on Tuesday where they discussed a range of issues, including implementing the Zondo Commission reports’ recommendations against MPs who are implicated.
However, the rules of Parliament do not provide scope for the ethics committee to handle cases of misconduct against former members of the national legislature.
But as part of the process of dealing with the reports that have already been released by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, Parliament has set systems in place.
“This work will also inform decisions of the Rules Committee in relation to possible action to be taken under the Powers and Privileges Act against individuals who are no longer Members of Parliament. The Ethics Code only applies to serving Members of Parliament and not those who have since exited the institution.The Secretary to Parliament has also been tasked with ensuring necessary training of Members on key financial legislation to avoid failures highlighted by the Commission in relation to Parliament’s role,” said Parliament’s spokesperson Moloto Mothapo.
The issue of the Zondo Commission reports has been discussed in Parliament for some time after the official opposition urged the speaker to act on the reports.
The legal opinion obtained by Parliament found that the institution can begin to act on those reports that are already out.
Justice Zondo is expected to release the final report in June.
President Cyril Ramaphosa would then submit his action plan to Parliament on how he intends to act on the reports of the commission.
Political Bureau