The committee had to adjourn suddenly on Tuesday due to rising tensions within Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee, which occurred when MK Party officials and EFF leader Julius Malema vigorously questioned KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s testimony.
Despite the hearing’s intended focus on delicate security issues, tensions flared up shortly after Mkhwanazi made a statement that the opposition deemed “misleading” and “politically loaded.” Those who were present at the meeting said that Malema accused the Commissioner of “protecting political interests instead of telling the truth,” and that members of the MK Party cast doubt on the Commissioner’s claim about the province’s recent security operations.
The committee is unable to move forward when witnesses come here to distort the truth, according to Malema, who allegedly demanded that the Commissioner “must speak to the real issues of police conduct in KZN.” As tensions rose between lawmakers and police, committee chairperson Faith Muthambi found it difficult to keep the peace. “To restore decorum and allow members to consult,” she stated shortly after the meeting had adjourned.
“I have presented the facts as they are,” Commissioner Mkhwanazi stated, maintaining his stance despite his clearly uncomfortable appearance. Politics is not my purpose here. The sudden halt to the proceedings has prompted speculation over the contents (or lack thereof) of the Commissioner’s evidence.
There may be more divisions between the political leadership of KwaZulu-Natal and the police department, according to insiders. Many are wondering if the committee’s upcoming meeting will reveal more than simply a disagreement—perhaps, a political storm ready to burst.