UNDERFUNDING COULD COLLAPSE MADLANGA INQUIRY

Why is the government not addressing the issue of budget clarity?

- MANYANE MANYANE

THE alleged lack of budget clarity for the Madlanga Commission inquiry could be the government's plan to sabotage the commission's work.

That is according to political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu following the commission’s former chief evidence leader, Advocate Terry Motau’s remarks about stepping down from the top position over what he described as inadequate budget. Speaking with Radio 702, Motau disclosed that he had tendered his resignation on September 11, following a long-lasting discussion with commission leadershipcentral to his concerns was the lack of budget clarity.

He said that this was a lesson that should have been learned from the Zondo Commission, which ballooned past R1 billion in cost and left several legal professionals unpaid in its final months. He said the R147,9 million budget for the Madlanga Commission, announced by the government for this task, was insufficient to achieve the Commission's goals.

“Without clear budget line items, you cannot responsibly allocate tasks or avoid previous missteps,” he said