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By Caiphus Kgosana

President Jacob Zuma has come under fire from opposition MPs who demanded to know why he had missed a deadline by which he was meant to have taken action against the minister of public works for her role in the police headquarters lease scandal.

In an afternoon of high drama, angry opposition MPs accused National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu of "protecting" Zuma when Sisulu attempted to stop them from asking questions about the lease scandal.

The drama began when Democratic Alliance MP Marti Wenger used a supplementary question on local government to sneak in another question, asking why Zuma had not taken action against Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde as recommended by the Public Protector in her findings.

"I would like to remind this house that the public works minister has yet to account to the cabinet, to this house, to the South African people for her illegal actions in respect of the SAPS lease deal and has been backed by the cabinet in her refusal to provide an explanation," said Wenger.

Mahlangu-Nkabinde was criticised by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela for ignoring legal opinion that the R500-million Pretoria building lease and the R1.1-billion leasing of the Transnet Tower in Durban from businessman Roux Shabangu was not legal.

Madonsela urged Zuma to take action against the minister and also advised that Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa take action against national police commissioner Bheki Cele for his role in the deals.

No action has been taken.

ANC MP Mike Masutha protested before Zuma could respond to Wenger's question, saying the assertion that Mahlangu-Nkabinde had broken the law had not been substantiated by any finding.

A war of words erupted when Sisulu agreed with Masutha that Wenger's question was out of order.

"The matter is before a parliamentary committee and those committees have not yet reported to the house," said Sisulu.

DA chief whip Ian Davidson and his deputy, Mike Ellis, however, sharply differed with Sisulu, arguing that the committees were not necessarily obliged to report back to parliament.

COPE leader Mosiuoa Lekota was adamant that Zuma be ordered to answer the question as Madonsela had already made findings with regards to Mahlangu-Nkabinde's involvement.

"The Public Protector has investigated this matter and returned certain conclusions. If we cannot rely on those conclusions, what [is] their purpose?" he asked.

Sisulu insisted, however, that Madonsela's findings against Mahlangu-Nkabinde and Cele had no weight in law.

"These are allegations by the Public Protector. The minister has not been found guilty by any court of law," he said.

Lekota informed Sisulu that he was wrong in classifying the Public Protector's report as containing only allegations.

"They are findings, sir. It means allegations have been investigated and findings have been made. Please correct yourself, sir," Lekota demanded.

Sisulu's comment was slammed by other opposition MPs who reminded him that Madonsela had investigated the allegations against Cele and Mahlangu-Nkabinde and had made findings that were binding.

"I think you are being too protective of the president . all that we are asking and demanding is what steps the president is going to take," said Davidson.

ANC chief whip Mathole Motshekga rose in defence of both Zuma and Sisulu, saying the report had been referred to parliament and was being processed by the relevant committees which, at the appropriate time, would forward it to parliament.

"This has nothing to do with the president," he insisted.

COPE MP Juli Killian argued that because a Chapter 9 institution had made the findings, Zuma was constitutionally bound to explain to parliament why he was delaying action against Mahlangu-Nkabinde and others identified as having played a role in the lease agreements.

"We expect the president of the country to account to this house today," she said.

Responding to the furore, Zuma questioned why he was being forced to respond to issues related to the police lease scandal when he had initially been asked a parliamentary question about local government.

"The question you have been debating so much has nothing to do with the answer that I have given. I don't know why I should answer that question because it is not related to question number 10 where we are talking about local government," he said.

He assured MPs that he was not shying away from taking action against those fingered in the Public Protector's report.

"I'm sure members are anxious to hear about this matter. Its time will come," Zuma said.

On Monday, Madonsela said that, as a last resort, she could subpoena Mahlangu-Nkabinde to explain her role after the 60-day deadline expired without a word from her.

However, Sapa reported yesterday that Madonsela's office had indicated that she was satisfied with a progress report she had received from state organs on the police lease deals.

"The presidency has advised on the action it is taking to implement its part of the remedial action," her spokesman, Kgalalelo Masibi, said in a statement.

"The department of public works has also reported on the steps it is taking to implement the remedial action."

Source: The Times