Kohler-Barnard's claims against Police committee Chairperson defamatory
3 March 2014
The Office of the ANC Chief Whip condemns the defamatory and slanderous claim by DA MP, Dianne Kohler-Barnard, that the chairperson of the portfolio committee, Annelize Van Wyk, withheld certain information relating to the Private Security Industry Regulation Act Amendment Bill from the committee. The DA MP has also expressed her intention to table "a motion of censure against Ms Van Wyk".
Even by her shallow politicking standards, this should stand out as the most eccentric publicity stunt, given no such type of motion exists in our parliamentary rules. The only censure that may be considered against a Member of Parliament is on the recommendation of the ethics and members' interest committee for violation of the ethics code. We will therefore be waiting with bated breath to see how she magically turns such a ‘motion of censure' into a reality in the context of parliamentary rules.
The information the DA MP alleges the committee chairperson withheld from the committee is in form of the letter(s) from international embassies, which by her own admission, were "addressed to ANC Chief Whip, Stone Sizani, with Ms Van Wyk copied in". Firstly, in terms of the parliamentary procedures the Chief Whip of a party cannot table letters addressed to him before a committee of parliamentary. Only correspondence sent through the Speaker of the National Assembly may be considered for formal tabling before a parliamentary committee.
As a leader of the majority party in Parliament, the Chief Whip receives many correspondences from various sources relating to the ANC's views on various matters before parliament. Such letters are addressed to him as a leader of the ANC in Parliament not to Parliament as an institution. Correspondence requiring attention of Parliament is made through the Speaker as Parliament's presiding officer.
It surprises as though that these particular letters addressed to the Chief Whip ended up in the hands of this DA MP.
We are nevertheless not surprised that the DA would grumble about the National Assembly's decision last week to pass this Bill, as the party exists for no other reason except to protect and champion the interests of the exploitative business - which is its core constituency. The DA has once again elected to unashamedly put the interests of its few members, security business tycoons, and foreign security moguls ahead of the millions of poor people toiling under abusive conditions in the industry. Our people, including these exploited masses, are celebrating this first important step towards making this Bill a law because it will strengthen regulation over the private security industry - including regulating foreign ownership.
The Bill is in line with international best practice. The 51% permitted for ownership and control of security businesses by South African citizens is sensible taking into consideration that many countries internationally have completely outlawed ownership of security business by foreign companies. The Bill also regulates the activities of South African security business owners in foreign countries to ensure that they are not in contravention of laws such as Prohibition of Mercenary Activities and Regulation of Certain Activities in a Country of Armed Conflict Act, 2006 or the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.
The DA's claim that the Bill will result in job losses is condescending, insulting and cannot be supported by fact. It suggests that South Africans are incapable of running sustainable security businesses and creating jobs.
The Bill is an important intervention towards ensuring better regulation of the security industry, ensuring better working conditions for the industry employees, encouraging job creation and empowering local business ownership.
Statement issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, March 3 2014
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
