Journalists asked to leave water and sanitation meeting
Permission had been granted to hold the meeting behind closed doors, but neither journalists — nor parties other than the ANC — were told this
Parliament’s security was at the ready as journalists attending a parliamentary meeting to detail investigations into the embattled water and sanitation department — which is broke and received a qualified audit opinion from the auditor-general — were asked to leave. Journalists were shown the door as ANC MPs and heads of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), its Special Investigating Unit (SIU)‚ and the Hawks claimed the meeting would discuss sensitive information, which‚ if published‚ may be prejudicial to people who are being investigated for alleged corruption in the department. As journalists peacefully left the venue ahead of the discussions‚ committee chair Lulu Johnson (ANC) commented that: “We are avoiding to be a democrazy country [sic]‚ we’d rather be democratic all the time‚ all the way!” Johnson had earlier informed the meeting that he had written to the speaker of the National Assembly‚ Baleka Mbete‚ last Thursday, requesting permission to hold the meeting behind c...
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