The Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature has reined in speculation and procedural overreach surrounding an explosive ad hoc committee probe after statements emerging from the committee triggered reports that Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi and other witnesses could face perjury charges.
In a media statement issued on Sunday, the office of Speaker Desbo Mohono stressed that no final findings had yet been adopted by the legislature and warned against “premature and speculative” claims suggesting Mokgosi or any other witness would face prosecution.
“The legislature, therefore, wishes to clarify that the ad hoc committee has not yet concluded all its processes, nor has a final report been tabled before the House of the North West Provincial Legislature for consideration,” the speaker’s office said. “Any assertions or speculation suggesting that the premier, or any other individual, will face criminal charges, including allegations relating to perjury, remain premature and speculative at this stage.”
The intervention by the speaker followed an earlier media statement issued by the legislature’s ad hoc committee on May 7, in which committee chairperson Nathan Oliphant disclosed that the committee’s legal team had identified “possible instances of perjury” arising from testimony presented before the inquiry.
The committee was established under Rule 186 of the legislature’s standing rules to investigate allegations by Naledi Local Municipality mayor Clifton Groep that members of the provincial legislature had interfered in municipal matters.
In the May 7 statement issued after a committee meeting in Mahikeng, Oliphant said the committee had received an analysis report prepared by its legal team led by Adv Pule Seleka SC.
“The report analysed divergent issues arising from the testimonies of various witnesses and further outlined the legal team’s conclusions and recommendations on matters relating to possible perjury.
“The report identified multiple contradictions in the testimonies of certain witnesses and recommended that matters relating to possible perjury be referred to the National Director of Public Prosecutions for further consideration.”
Oliphant further confirmed that the committee had adopted the report “with recommended amendments arising from its deliberative processes”.
The remarks immediately fuelled speculation that criminal referrals against senior political figures, including Mokgosi, were imminent.
The latest developments also come after Sunday World sent a series of questions to Oliphant on April 22 following information received from committee insiders suggesting tensions around the direction and duration of the inquiry.
Among the questions posed to Oliphant were why the committee was still pursuing the matter after the Constitutional Court had already dealt with related issues; whether the preliminary report had initially not implicated Mokgosi; and whether there were discussions linked to ANC provincial politics ahead of the party’s conference.
Sunday World also asked whether there had been any discussions around forcing Mokgosi to step aside or creating space for an acting premier, as well as what justified extending the committee’s mandate until May 31.
Oliphant did not respond to the questions.
But the speaker’s office has now effectively moved to cool temperatures around the politically sensitive inquiry, emphasising that implicated individuals would first be afforded an opportunity to respond before any report is finalised.
“In line with applicable procedural fairness and the committee’s adopted processes, any person who may be implicated in the draft report of the ad hoc committee will first be afforded an opportunity to comment before the report is finalised and formally submitted to the Office of the Speaker,” the statement read.
The committee’s mandate has since been extended until May 31 as it finalises its work and prepare a report for submission to the legislature.
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- The Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature has reined in speculation and procedural overreach surrounding an explosive ad hoc committee probe after statements emerging from the committee triggered reports that Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi and other witnesses could face perjury charges.
- In a media statement issued on Sunday, the office of Speaker Desbo Mohono stressed that no final findings had yet been adopted by the legislature and warned against “premature and speculative” claims suggesting Mokgosi or any other witness would face prosecution.
- “The legislature, therefore, wishes to clarify that the ad hoc committee has not yet concluded all its processes, nor has a final report been tabled before the House of the North West Provincial Legislature for consideration,” the speaker’s office said.
- “Any assertions or speculation suggesting that the premier, or any other individual, will face criminal charges, including allegations relating to perjury, remain premature and speculative at this stage.” The intervention by the speaker followed an earlier media statement issued by the legislature’s ad hoc committee on May 7, in which committee chairperson Nathan Oliphant disclosed that the committee’s legal team had identified “possible instances of perjury” arising from testimony presented before the inquiry.
- The committee was established under Rule 186 of the legislature’s standing rules to investigate allegations by Naledi Local Municipality mayor Clifton Groep that members of the provincial legislature had interfered in municipal matters.
