Hon Minister, through you, Ma'am, arising out of the hon Minister's reply, the facts as I understand them are that Adv Nomgcobo Jiba heard that Adv Gerrie Nel had been nominated for a special achievement award for his outstanding work in the Selebi trial. She then did the following things: Firstly, she said the NPA should have been consulted, despite the fact that individual prosecutors and associations of prosecutors can be members of the IAP and can motivate a nomination as they see fit.
Secondly, she threatened to withdraw South Africa or South Africans from the IAP, a thing she cannot do and, as it appears now, she told the Minister she would not do.
My first question is: Will the hon Minister encourage Adv Gerrie Nel's attendance at the IAP conference where this award is to be handed to him later this year? Will the Minister encourage such attendance so that he is not prevented from attending and will the hon Minister congratulate Adv Nel on his great achievement?
It was Adv Jiba herself who signed the warrant for the arrest of Adv Nel - and that arrest is now the subject of a civil claim for unlawful arrest. It was Adv Nel who successfully prosecuted Adv Jiba's husband for stealing a client's trust fund money. The hon President recently expunged that criminal record. Ma'am and hon Minister, impartiality is perceived to be the casualty at the hands of special personal interests. That perception is something we need to deal with. My second question is ... [Time expired.]