Chairperson of parliament’s portfolio committee on justice Mathole Motshekga, on Wednesday moved to shut down comments by South African Human Rights Commission chairperson, Lawrence Mushwana, about the Chapter 9 institution’s probe into controversial comments made by Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini.
Opening the briefing to the committee, Mushwana confirmed to MPs that threats had been made against SAHRC staff as the commission investigates alleged xenophobic utterances by Zwelinthini last month which some have attributed to a wave of attacks on foreign nationals in parts of South Africa this month.
“Following complaints, we have had some key challenges as an institution of some threats which have been flying around our staff. We were receiving threatening calls and there were some postings even on Facebook,” Mushwana said. “We are looking at it to see how best we can deal with it. The investigation itself is going on so far smoothly.”
However, Motshekga, insisting he spoke in his personal capacity, intervened, saying: “You know, if I were you, I will take the view that this matter of the king has actually been exhausted and government has already done a lot to deal with it.
“You are an independent organisation, you have a right to take your decisions, investigate what was said.”
Motshekga added that several conflicting interpretations had been given to what the king said at a moral regeneration event at Pongola in KwaZulu-Natal last month.
“I don’t know what else you can find in that investigation,” Motshekga said.
