Parliament closing down inquiry into the CAR scandal
I today tabled a draft resolution in Parliament calling for an investigation to be launched into the circumstances around the SANDF deployment in the Central African Republic.
The resolution called upon the National Assembly to force the Joint Standing Committee of Defence to investigate among other things:
- the adequateness of the equipment given to SANDF troops stationed in the Central African Republic from 01 February 2012;
- the adequateness of medical support available to SANDF troops stationed in the Central African Republic from 01 February 2012; and
- the SANDF's compliance with International Humanitarian Law while stationed in the Central African Republic.
It also condemned the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula for misleading the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on the existence of a "second" Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation between South Africa and the CAR, when in fact this is an extension of the original MoU which amounts to an entirely new agreement, and condemned President Zuma for not directly informing South Africa on the withdrawal of the troops.
The ANC blocked this draft resolution on questionable grounds. All MPs in the National Assembly have a right to ask the House to consider investigating any matter which they deem to be of critical public importance. The fact that the Minister of Defence was to deliver a statement on the matter is entirely irrelevant.
In any event, the statement delivered by the Minister was a disgraceful act of petty politicking, and provided members with no information as to the grounds upon which the deployment took place, why Parliament was misinformed about it, and whether the SANDF will be re-deployed to the CAR, as reports currently indicate.
The DA will not stop pushing for answers. I will again table this motion at tomorrow's sitting of the House. It is in the interest of all South Africans that we get to the bottom of what happened in the Central African Republic.
Statement issued by Lindiwe Mazibuko MP, DA Parliamentary Leader, April 23 2013
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