HHUKWINI Member of Parliament (MP) Alec Lushaba has demanded to know the reasons for withholding the report into the probe of allegations of impropriety, maladministration and abuse of powers at the Master of the High Court Office.
The MP noted that nothing was mentioned about the report in the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs’ first-quarter performance report. He said this was worrying because the public was awaiting the report which was delivered to the chief justice in March.
He said the concerned members of the public who had complained about the operations at the office of the Master of the High Court expected to hear about the findings of the Commission and subsequently find solutions to their reported challenges.
He further mentioned that when the report was submitted to the chief justice, the public was informed that it would be reviewed first before being released to the public.
“What exactly is being reviewed? The report should have been released to the right people who are supposed to implement the recommendations of the report. The Judiciary cannot implement the recommendations,” he said.
In response, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Prince Simelane said the ministry was also waiting for the same report. He said there was a Bill that was to be taken to Cabinet involving the office of the Master of the High Court.
However, he said when it was announced that the commission into the affairs of the Master’s Office was completed, the ministry hoped that the recommendations in the report could also be included in the Bill so as to avoid the Act, after being passed, from being amended now and again.
“We are in disbelief. There was a Bill we wanted to submit to Parliament but when we heard that the report was delivered, we waited hoping to take some recommendations and incorporate them into the Bill so that we do not amend the Act time and again,” he said.
