Opposition party ActionSA has raised red flags over the appointment of ANC MP Hon. Soviet Lekganyane as chairperson of Parliament’s newly established Ad Hoc Committee tasked with probing explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
In a pointed statement issued on Tuesday, ActionSA MP Dereleen James said the credibility of the committee could be undermined from the outset due to potential conflicts of interest linked to the ruling party.
“It would have been more appropriate for this role to be filled by a member of a party whose senior leadership is not implicated in the serious allegations that fall within the committee’s scope of work,” James said.
The committee was formed to investigate claims made earlier last month by Lt Gen Mkhwanazi, who told the KwaZulu-Natal legislature that a sitting cabinet minister allegedly has links to organised crime. The explosive allegations sparked national outrage and demands for a comprehensive parliamentary investigation.
While Mkhwanazi did not name the cabinet member, speculation has been rife that high-profile figures within the security cluster and ANC provincial structures could be implicated.
The inquiry will probe political interference in policing, possible protection of criminal syndicates, and broader issues related to the criminal capture of state institutions.
ActionSA believes that to restore confidence in Parliament, the investigation must be free of political bias or interference — and that starts with who leads the process.
“The very nature of how partisan politics operates means that this committee’s chairperson must be above suspicion,” James added. “We cannot have a situation where a party investigates itself. That would erode public confidence and compromise the process.”
Despite these concerns, ActionSA confirmed its full participation in the committee’s work and called on members of the public to submit any relevant information via parliament@actionsa.org.za. The party assured South Africans that all credible evidence would be presented responsibly.
“We are not passive observers,” said James. “We will guard the integrity of this committee and fight for accountability.”
The formation of the Ad Hoc Committee comes amid a growing crisis of confidence in South Africa’s democratic institutions, particularly in relation to political-criminal collusion.
Earlier this year, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC) warned that the country is sliding deeper into a state-crime nexus, with political elites, gang leaders, and compromised law enforcement officials allegedly operating in concert — especially in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and the Eastern Cape.
Local reports have also linked politicians to construction mafias, extortion networks, and drug trafficking, while whistleblowers continue to face intimidation or even assassination.
In March, the murder of a ward councillor in Umlazi — believed to be politically motivated — once again highlighted how power struggles within political parties are increasingly resolved through violence, not debate.
While the ANC defended Lekganyane’s appointment, describing him as an experienced and capable legislator, other opposition parties have echoed ActionSA’s concerns.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) warned against allowing political parties to “investigate themselves,” calling for the chairperson to come from a neutral party or an independent panel of experts.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also issued a statement criticising the appointment, stating that the process was already being undermined by ANC gatekeeping.
“We are not surprised by this move,” the EFF said. “It reflects the ANC’s long-standing habit of using parliamentary committees as internal damage control mechanisms rather than platforms for truth-seeking. We demand that the committee chair be replaced by someone without any ties to the accused political networks.”
The EFF called the allegations made by Mkhwanazi “the tip of the iceberg,” urging the committee to broaden its investigation to include police station resourcing, intelligence operations, and links between political structures and known crime bosses.
Parliament has confirmed that the committee will have the power to summon witnesses, request classified documentation, and recommend disciplinary or criminal action if wrongdoing is found. However, public scepticism remains high, with civil society groups warning that unless the process is transparent and independent, it risks becoming another whitewashing exercise.
Corruption Watch spokesperson Palesa Mokoena said, “Parliament is at a crossroads. Either this committee restores faith in democratic oversight, or it becomes another reminder of why South Africans are losing faith in the political class.”
As ActionSA prepares to play an active role in the proceedings, its challenge to the chairperson’s neutrality has now opened a broader national conversation about the integrity of parliamentary oversight and the creeping influence of organised crime on democratic governance.
James concluded:
“We are committed to justice. The people of South Africa deserve the full truth — not political spin. If Parliament is serious about accountability, then it must be willing to hold power to account, no matter how high it goes.”
African Times will continue to monitor developments from Parliament and the work of the Ad Hoc Committee.
