Glynnis Breytenbach: On Simelane, Hlophe, Corruption & the GNU

In her first chat with BizNews since the election, Democratic Alliance (DA) Justice spokesperson Glynnis Breytenbach comments on Justice Minister Thembi Simelane’s alleged links to the VBS Bank scandal, saying: “…the issue is that it's untenable for her to continue as the Minister of Justice if there is in fact a matter being investigated against her.” She also gives an update on her party’s legal action to stop former Judge - and MKP MP - John Hlophe from sitting on the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Meanwhile, she is pressing ahead with the proposed Anti-Corruption Commission Bill - despite President Cyril Ramaphosa signing into law the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill, which makes the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption a permanent entity in the NPA. Breytenbach says the ID is not the “corruption-busting panacea that people want us to believe that it is.” As for the Government of National Unity (GNU) in which she now serves, Breytenbach says the African National Congress (ANC) is no longer “able to ram things through Parliament as they choose”.