Long wait for political killings report

Despite the spectre of political killings still looming large‚ it could take another month for the keenly-awaited Moerane Commission report to be made public.

The findings of the Moerane Commission into political killings‚ which have ravaged KwaZulu-Natal and turned the province into killing fields reminiscent of the 1980s‚ are still being considered by political principals in the province.

KwaZulu-Natal premier Willies Mchunu‚ who received the Moerane Commission of Inquiry report into political killings in the province in June‚ handed it over to the provincial legislature to process. Only after that will it be tabled before the premier’s portfolio committee.

Once the report has been tabled before the committee‚ it will be handed back to Mchunu‚ albeit this time with recommendations attached. The process doesn’t end there. Mchunu will then have another 21 days to consider the portfolio committee’s recommendations‚ before finally releasing the report to the public.

Mchunu’s spokesperson Thami Ngidi said while the premier has 42 days in total to consider the report‚ he wanted to release it earlier.

“He has sent it to the legislature‚ which also has 21 days to process it‚ and is planning to table it before the premier’s portfolio committee‚ which is likely to discuss it and send it back to him with recommendations. The premier will consider it for 21 days‚” said Ngidi.

“The premier has 42 days in total. But he does not want to use all of it. He wants to release it earlier than that as he has no intention of keeping it from the public.”

Mchunu received the report from commission chair Advocate Marumo Moerane on June 12‚ and assured the public that its findings cannot be disputed by anybody and that it was now “our responsibility to ensure that recommendations are implemented”.

Wonder Hlongwa‚ spokesperson for the provincial legislature‚ confirmed that they received the report and that it was being processed by the relevant portfolio committee.

The premier has 42 days in total. But he does not want to use all of it