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Parliament is disturbed by death threats allegedly made to the chairperson of the portfolio committee on public service and administration/ monitoring and evaluation, Dr Makhosi Khoza, during her committee’s oversight visits to the Mpumalanga province. Dr Khoza received calls in the last two days, the gist of which hint at some unhappiness with the stern views her committee made during its oversight programme in the last two days.

The calls followed the committee’s two-day oversight visit to Mpumalanga. During the oversight visit to the province, a number of problems in Mpumalanga’s health services came to the committee’s attention, prompting a wide range of critical views from committee members and a subsequent statement by Dr Khoza, issued in her capacity as chairperson of the committee.

Parliament does not take the alleged threats lightly, and a report would, therefore, be made to the Speaker of the National Assembly by the committee chairperson in order for the institution to determine an appropriate course of action. The alleged threatening calls will also be reported to law enforcement agencies for investigation.

Parliament also condemns, in the strongest terms, the disruption by several students - led by University of Venda SRC leaders - of the oversight visit to the university by the portfolio committee on higher education and training on Tuesday. The committee was denied access to the student accommodation and lecture rooms, where it could have witnessed first-hand the challenges or successes facing the institution and students.

Such actions are an attempt to interfere with the institution’s Constitutional function of carrying out its exercising oversight duties over Executive action and ensuring public involvement. The Powers Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act of 2004 prohibits acts which improperly interfere with or impede the exercise or performance by Parliament or a House or committee of its authority or function. Such acts include threatening or obstructing a member proceeding to or going from a meeting of Parliament or a House or committee.

Issued by Parliament of the Republic of South Africa