Clock ticking for ANC MPs on appointment of intelligence committee chair

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The ANC faces mounting pressure in Parliament to finalise the appointment of the chairperson of the joint standing committee on intelligence after months in limbo. Opposition parties have been urging Speaker Baleka Mbete to act swiftly to ensure this happened. The ANC has confirmed that the position would be filled in due course. However, the party did not give details on time frames when this would happen. ANC caucus spokesperson Nonceba Mhlauli said there was no need to panic as they were close to finalising that process.

“That appointment is in process and the matter is near conclusion, but I cannot give time frames,” said Mhlauli.

The joint standing committee on intelligence oversees the State Security Agency (SSA) and other intelligence structures.

The budget of the SSA is never made public and only members of the intelligence committee sit behind closed doors to discuss intelligence matters.

Recently, the SSA was accused of abusing its slush fund with millions of rand alleged to have been improperly used.

The EFF and other parties also said in Parliament that the budget of the SSA must be disclosed in public so that they can keep track of how the funds were used.

The DA said the sooner the appointment of the new chairperson of the intelligence committee the better, as there were a number of issues that needed to be resolved by the committee.

The review of the SSA and the intelligence community was underway and President Cyril Ramaphosa was expected to receive the report soon.

Ramaphosa appointed a panel a few months ago to undertake the review, including investigating some of the allegations levelled against the SSA and its officials.

Former head of the SSA, Arthur Fraser, was taken to court by the Inspector-General of Intelligence, Setlhomamaru Dintwe, for revoking his security clearance and interfering in his duties. This followed his investigation of the allegations against Fraser by the DA.

Charles Nqakula was chairperson of the standing committee on intelligence in Parliament before Ramaphosa appointed him as his national security adviser a few months ago.

This left the position vacant and the DA chief whip, John Steenhuisen, has been consistently complaining to the programming committee and Mbete about the vacancy.

Mbete had promised to discuss the matter with Ramaphosa and his deputy David Mabuza.

The ANC had promised the position would be filled soon despite the fact that it set no deadline to conclude the process.

Mhlauli said the process was near completion.

Political Bureau