BY
HON MB GWALA MPL (IFP)
Speaker,
The IFP welcomes the release of the Moerane Commission’s report on political killings which has been tabled before the House. It is an undisputed fact that Commission of Inquiry reports in KwaZulu-Natal have a tendency of not being released or not being acted upon.
The report serves as a stark reminder that the fight against political killings cannot be won in the short term, and that the battle requires the sustained commitment on the part of the government and the general public.
The delay in releasing reports must come into an end. It serves no purpose to keep society in suspense over what the Commission/s found. This has the potential to create suspicion about the authenticity of the report and the possibility of tainting evidence.
Furthermore, as the IFP we feel that the justice system has failed us. Our worry is the way police handle these matters. They don’t report to us in terms of how far they’ve gone in investigating the cases. We don’t have answers from police regarding the killings of IFP members.
Most murder cases, where IFP leaders had been killed, “died a natural death” because some never made it to court. In 2012 IFP member, Siya Dlamini was killed in full view of the police, public and journalists at the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court precinct in the north of Durban but no one has been arrested.
On the same year in October, eThekwini IFP Ward 39 Councillor Mr Themba Xulu was kidnapped by people posing as policemen. Cllr Xulu’s case has not been pursued by the police in order to identify those people who are impersonating as police officers, and thereby clear the name of the police. Again, our Cllr Sbuyiselo Dlamini was killed in Ulundi on the same day with ANC former councillor Musawenkosi Maqatha Mchunu – who was gunned down in May this year, whose killers have been arrested but Dlamini’s killers are roaming the street.
We hope that shortcomings in state apparatus will be addressed accordingly.
Lastly, I would also like to thank the Moerane Commission for its sterling work and dedication in successfully conducting this Commission.
I thank you.