SIU Head - is the President undermining the Justice Minister?

On Thursday 28 February 2013, the President missed another deadline when he failed to announce the appointment of a permanent Special Investigating Unit (SIU) head. This after Justice Minister Jeff Radebe had made a public announcement at the time of the State of the Nation Address that this would be done.

The Justice Minister also announced in August last year in reply to a DA parliamentary question that the appointment of a permanent head was "imminent".

So two questions now need to be asked. First, is the President undermining his Justice Minister by telling him that things will be done by a certain date and then not doing it? It is hard to imagine that the Minister would have made an announcement as significant as this without the President having agreed to it. If this is so, it signifies division in the highest ranks of government. 

Secondly, what possible reason can there be for the President not to make this appointment for 14 months? In the absence of repeated failures to provide answers, we are left to speculate, and can think of only two possibilities. First, the President has not been able to find a suitable cadre who will do the ANC's bidding. Second, he is deliberately trying to destabilise the unit by leaving someone in charge who is not able to dedicate sufficient time to it, and who has abdicated her responsibilities to the NEHAWU-aligned Miseria Nyathi. In this manner, the SIU will not be able to effectively investigate corruption that may be a little too close to home for some members of the ANC.

Ms Nyathi is effectively in charge of the unit and has, according to our information, engaged in a witch-hunt after her controversial reinstatement, against anybody who was involved in a disciplinary investigation against her before she was fired by previous head Willie Hofmeyr. Astonishingly, we also believe that the Minister recently had a meeting with her and is considering her for the position of head of the unit.

Furthermore, we have previously highlighted the number of senior resignations under Mokhatla's tenure, indicating that all is not well in the SIU.

However, the President has sat back and allowed this situation to continue. 

The President in his SONA address pleaded with all to ensure that South Africa is seen as a desirable place for investment. Action, or rather inaction, like this prevents us from doing so. The President's failure to make this crucial appointment, as well as his failure to give us reasons for not doing so, do not inspire confidence in us. How, then, can we reassure foreign investors that their money will be well spent?

It is a great misfortune that the SIU, which was only a few years ago a centre of excellence, is now heading rudderless into the Bermuda Triangle. It appears that nothing will rescue it other than a change of government in 2014.

Statement issued by Debbie Schafer MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, March 3 2013

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