Under Gana, impeachment committee must work together to find the truth

It being an election year, South Africans should not be surprised that political parties have sought to score political points in the process of electing the person who will chair the parliamentary impeachment committee relating to the Phala Phala saga.

Since the election of Makashule Gana as the chair of the committee, the MK Party and others outside the government of national unity have sought to paint him as an ANC puppet whose main duty on the committee will be to shield the president.

But there is nothing in Gana’s political history and track record as an MP that suggests he is a lackey for the ruling party.

Having cut his teeth in student politics in Limpopo, Gana became a DA activist at a young age and rose through the party’s ranks to become one of its Gauteng MPLs.

He left the party later after disagreeing with its change in political direction under John Steenhuisen.

Gana then found his next political home in Rise Mzansi, a new political formation established by former commentator Songezo Zibi.

Rise Mzansi has two seats in parliament and even though the party is supportive of the GNU, both its MPs — Gana and Zibi — have often exhibited complete independence from the executive.

There is, therefore, no reason to believe that they would change now.

Besides, the chair of the impeachment committee is merely one member of a collective and has no power to impose his will on the committee.

The success of the committee is largely dependent on the work done by all its members.

We have seen with the ad-hoc committee on allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police chief Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that such committees work best when their members stop treating each other as political rivals, but work together in establishing the truth.

We believe that, under Gana’s leadership, the impeachment committee can work to achieve this and, in the process, win the confidence of the public that it is doing its work without fear or favour.