Will Malema grace the Alex inquiry?

After the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was accused of being behind land invasions at the last sitting of the Alexandra Inquiry, the Human Rights Commission (HRC) invited the party leader to speak at a sitting next week.

HRC Gauteng manager Buang Jones said the invitation had been sent and received by the EFF for the sitting scheduled for next week, but they had not had a response. “The EFF received the invitation, so we hope we see Julius Malema,” he said.

The Alexandra Inquiry is being conducted by the HRC and the Office of the Public Protector to investigate issues leading up to the “shutdown” in April. At the last sitting, outgoing Gauteng human settlements MEC Uhuru Moiloa said “other political parties” had openly encouraged people to illegally occupy land.

Moiloa added: “I consider that kind of call an abuse of human rights because you are driving people to occupy land in an urban setting illegally. What are the future consequences of uncontrolled sanitation and the health of the people you have put on the land?”

This was behind the HRC’s request for Malema to attend the next sitting of the inquiry to establish what the EFF’s take on land invasions was, Jones said. At the previous sitting,

Alexandra councillor Teffo Raphadu, who felt officials had been dishonest about the community’s experiences, said: “The EFF perpetrates land invasions in Alex that put people’s lives in danger.”

City of Joburg city manager Ndivhoniswani Lukhwareni is to conclude a presentation on environment and sanitation earlier next week. The head of the city’s forensic unit, who was tasked with investigating the Alexandra Renewal Programme, is also expected to make a presentation.

The premier’s office’s director-general Phindile Baleni will also attend. The departments of water and of co-operative governance and traditional affairs were also expected to have directors-general in attendance. Attempts to contact the EFF were unsuccessful.

– jenniffero@citizen.co.za

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