News24 | After marching against Madlanga Commission, MKP waxes lyrical about Mkhwanazi’s testimony

From left to right: The MK Party's deputy president, John Hlophe, party president Jacob Zuma and Tony Yengeni, who was announced as the party's second deputy president on Thursday.

• A few weeks ago, the MK Party took to the streets to protest against the establishment of the Madlanga Commission.
• On Thursday, the party waxed lyrical about KwaZulu-Natal police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and the information he provided on the same platform the party was previously against.
• The party also said it would use all legal means available to it to ensure that those who are accused account, although it denounced Roman-Dutch law.

The MK Party’s (MKP) denunciation of the Madlanga Commission probing criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system came into sharp focus during a press briefing on Thursday.

In the MKP’s briefing to announce Tony Yengeni as its second deputy president, the party acknowledged the drama unfolding at the Madlanga Commission, where KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has set the tone for revelations of alleged criminality intersecting with the highest echelons of the justice and political arenas.

The MKP leaders heaped praise on Mkhwanazi for providing information linking alleged criminals with high-ranking government officials.

This is in stark contrast to the party’s position a few weeks ago, when its rank and file took to the streets to protest the commission’s establishment.

Not only that, but the party also went to court to stop the commission – where it lost.

At the briefing in Durban, journalists pressed party leaders on why they would commend Mkhwanazi’s testimony when they had not wanted the platform it was delivered on in the first place.

MKP chair Nkosinathi Nhleko, who is a former police minister, said: “There is a style of doing things which is commonly referred to as filibustering.

“In a sense, this is what we are beginning to witness.”

He added:

“A commission only gives you time to play around and so on.”

He speculated that six months from now, when the commission is expected to deliver its final report, there could be an extension of the inquiry.

He said the government could also “opt out” of implementing the commission’s recommendations.

“We should be extremely worried about this,” Nhleko said.

READ | Tony Yengeni joins MK Party as second deputy president

He said the Madlanga Commission was a “show” which would drag on.

Adding to what Nhleko said about the commission, Zuma asked: “Why isn’t the media questioning what the government is doing and not putting things correctly?”

This is despite several objective news reports and commentary about the commission before it was established, as well as when advocate Terry Motau quit.

Zuma asked journalists:

Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said the MKP was not against the commission but “against how it’s formed”.

“We are against the basis on which it was formed. Like we said, it was (formed) for political patronage.

“(President Cyril) Ramaphosa should have fired his friend (suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu); instead, he put him on a leave of absence.”

Ndhlela also took issue with the composition of the commission. He said despite having played roles in the Farlam Commission on the Marikana massacre, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga and senior counsel Sesi Baloyi were now also in leading roles in the Madlanga Commission.

“It’s the same players. You read between the lines.”

He added that the MKP’s opposition to the commission’s formation wasn’t a sign that the party was against the commission.

Party leaders said they would use all legal tools at their disposal to get their way, but in the same briefing, they denounced the very Roman-Dutch law they would have to apply.