The Nkandla parliamentary process has stalled until clarity about certain procedures has been obtained from Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, the leader of Government Business.

“The moment the deputy president [Ramaphosa] is back in the country, I will stage a sit-in in his office … so we can get on with our process,” National Speaker Baleka Mbete told a meeting of the parliamentary programming committee.

Ramaphosa has been on a state visit to Indonesia for the last week.

Nhleko report

Parliament has not yet tabled a report by Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko , who was tasked by an ad-hoc committee to determine President Jacob Zuma’s liability for non-security upgrades at his home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. Nhleko completed his report before the March 30 deadline.

“It has not disappeared. I just cannot say that I believe that on such and such a day, it [the Nhleko report] will be here,” Mbete told the committee.

Various discussions about the next step took place between Mbete and political parties, which led to UDM leader Bantu Holomisa raising objections and withdrawing from the parliamentary process.

He accused Mbete of attempting to censor the report, which she has denied.

DA suggestion

DA Chief Whip John Steenhuisen requested that at the next sitting of the National Assembly in the first week of May, the Speaker moves for a resolution to re-establish an ad hoc committee on Nkandla to process the report.

Steenhuisen said this should be done irrespective of whether Ramaphosa had given clarity about outstanding issues – apparently involving additional submissions besides Nhleko’s report.

“I think we should consider this suggestion,” said Mbete, who confirmed last week that she had been in contact with Ramaphosa as the matter related to a report from the executive.

The controversial Nkandla matter has dragged on for over a year since Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found that the president and his family had unduly benefitted from the R246m upgrades.

She recommended that he pay back a portion of money for the upgrades. News24