The North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) Speaker, Dr. Desbo Mohono has dismissed a report alleging that the Premier of the North West, Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi, will face charges of perjury following the work of the Ad Hoc Committee established by the Legislature to investigate allegations made by the Mayor of Naledi Local Municipality, Cllr Clifton Groep.
While Mohono is trying to explain that the Ad Hoc Committee is still deliberating, and no final report has been submitted to the House, she has categorised such reports as premature and speculative at this stage.
“The Legislature confirms that the Ad Hoc Committee was duly established by the House with a specific mandate to investigate the allegations and subsequently report its findings and recommendations to the Speaker for consideration.”
“In line with applicable procedural fairness and the Committee’s adopted processes, any person who may be implicated in the draft report of the Ad Hoc Committee will first be afforded an opportunity to comment before the report is finalised and formally submitted to the Office of the Speaker.
“Any assertions or speculation suggesting that the Premier, or any other individual, will face criminal charges, including allegations relating to perjury, remain premature and speculative at this stage.
“Members of the public and the media are accordingly urged to allow the Committee and the Legislature to conclude the process in accordance with the applicable rules, principles of fairness, and institutional procedures,” said Mohono.
The Ad Hoc Committee is whether there was any political interference by members in the recruitment of a Municipal Manager in the Naledi Local Municipality as alleged by Mayor.
While the Democratic Alliance (DA) agrees with Mohono that fair opportunity would be afforded to all implicated parties to comment and make submissions, they are disappointed that Mohono failed to table the Ad Hoc Committee’s report in the Legislature’s ATC on Monday, 11 May 2026.
The party argued that the Ad Hoc Committee, while conducting its investigation, identified discrepancies in the written affidavits and oral testimony of several witnesses.
DA has indicated that the report on alleged instances of perjury is a final report by the Ad Hoc Committee, with a clear recommendation, which is to refer the report to the NDPP.
“As such, as per the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Legislatures Act (Act 4 of 2004), Section 13, it is a criminal offence to present false testimony before a committee of Parliament or Provincial Legislatures, with appropriate sanction which may include financial penalties or imprisonment of up to two years or both.
“On 07 May 2026, the Ad Hoc Committee adopted a report in which instances of misleading and/or contradictory evidence were presented before the Ad Hoc Committee by witnesses, with the recommendation that this report be submitted to the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) for consideration towards further investigation and possible prosecution,” said the party in a statement. The party has called on Mohono to table the report on alleged instances of perjury and submit it to the NDPP without delay.
“It will set a precedent that will ensure that current and future Premiers, MECs, Director-Generals, Heads of Departments and any other witness called before the Legislature account transparently and truthfully or else there will be consequences.
“Speaker Desbo Mohono must table the report and submit it to the NDPP without delay or face the same consequences as Parliament had following the debacle not only of the Nkandla matter of Jacob Zuma previously, but also the Phala Phala issue of Cyril Ramaphosa currently.”
“The ANC’s time of abusing Legislatures and Parliament in the ANC’s interest is over.”
