The State Capture Commission has heard how Bosasa and its subsidiaries Phezulu and Sondolo continued to receive contracts despite concerns raised as early as 2008.
In his testimony, Democratic Alliance (DA) MP and member of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, James Selfe said the Department of Correctional Services continued to renew the contracts after the SIU flagged serious tender irregularities and the Auditor General and Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) raised concerns.
Selfe earlier said he was surprised when former Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour told the Portfolio Committee to butt out of the department’s business.
According to Selfe, the Committee failed in its oversight mandate over the years.
“Many of my colleagues did not fulfill the oath of office that they took, they did not uphold the law. There were some very serious allegations that should have been investigated when I raised the issue in the committee and said let’s have an inquiry, let’s get to the bottom of this.”
“They shifted and looked the other way and became deaf. [Committee members] generally did not do what they said they should be doing and this was particularly irritating after the revelations by the SIU that cried out for an investigation,” explains Selfe.
The video below is Tuesday’s proceedings live stream:
On Tuesday, former chairperson of Parliament’s Public Enterprises Portfolio Committee, Zukiswa Rantho, said committees have limited influence on their own agendas.
Rantho says, “[Members of Parliament] MPs on a portfolio committee generally have limited influence over the agendas for its meetings. There is an annual cycle of meetings for each committee which needs to be adhered.”
