Sisulu to face ANC’s integrity commission to explain her opinion piece

It seems as the ANC has not let Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu off the hook over her controversial opinion piece.

Sisulu will be summoned before the ANC’s integrity commission to explain her opinion piece in which she attacked the Constitution and judiciary.

The Minister, who is a national executive committee (NEC) member, will also need to provide an explanation regarding her public disagreement with the Presidency.

Speaking to the media outside Tokyo Sexwale’s home in Soweto on Thursday, ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile said the party’s officials met with Sisulu on Monday, adding that another meeting will take place between the minister and Deputy President David Mabuza.

Mashatile also confirmed that Sisulu has already explained herself to the ANC’s top six leadership over her tit-for-tat exchange, and will face the ANC’s integrity commission.

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“I have been informed that the integrity commission has also called her. I am currently not sure when she will appear before them, but I know she will be doing so,” he said.

“Minister Sisulu explained to the leadership of the ANC what was happening. We had engagements with her, and we want to keep it that way.

“We have asked her to see the deputy president. There are certain things she will be explaining to him, and they will come back to explain to ANC leadership structures,” Mashatile added.

‘I stand by what I penned’

On 20 January, the Presidency claimed President Cyril Ramaphosa had admonished Sisulu during their meeting in Cape Town about her opinion piece.

According to the Presidency, Sisulu had apparently retracted her criticism of the judiciary and African judges, in particular, conceding that her comments were “inappropriate, unsubstantiated, gratuitous and deeply hurtful”.

In a surprise move, Sisulu distanced herself from the statement, saying “under no circumstances did I commit to any retraction or apology, since I stand by what I penned”.

READ MORE: ‘Constitution not holy scripture’: Sisulu slams Lamola in yet another article

The Presidency said it stood by its earlier statement, despite Sisulu effectively saying Ramaphosa was lying by claiming she had apologised and retracted her remarks about the judiciary.

But the minister argued in another statement that at no point in her conversation with the president was she “admonished or expressed regrets”, resulting in her agreeing to withdraw or apologise for her opinion piece.

‘House negroes’

In the opinion piece, Sisulu argued that the Constitution was a “neo-liberal” document that had done little to bring about social justice for apartheid victims. It also seemed to liken the country’s judiciary to what she called “house negroes” and said black politicians had become “black assets for colonised capital”.

However, Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo argued that the judiciary had never said it should not be criticised, only that the criticism should be fair and have proper factual basis.

In response, Sisulu said she was consulting with her legal team on Zondo and would respond to his comments at the right time.

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Additional reporting by Vhahangwele Nemakonde and Thapelo Lekabe