Terry Motau Resigns from Madlanga Commission, Cites Budget Concerns
Terry Motau, the former chief evidence leader at the Madlanga Commission, has resigned from his position, citing concerns over the allocated budget and other administrative issues. Motau's resignation, which took effect this past Tuesday, has led to the appointment of advocate Matthew Chaskalson SC as his replacement.
Motau's Reasons for Resignation
According to Motau, the budget allocated to the commission did not align with its objectives. He highlighted several administrative issues as contributing factors to his decision to step down. However, Motau has urged the public not to question the credibility of the inquiry itself, emphasizing the importance of verifying the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
In an interview with eNCA's Heidi Giokos, Motau further elaborated on his reasons for leaving the commission of inquiry, focusing primarily on the inadequacy of the allocated resources. The initial budget of R147 million was deemed insufficient for the scope of the task, especially considering the various working streams involved.
Budgetary Concerns and Allocation
"To be able to perform a task of this nature, once the government says they have given you a budget of R147m, it’s not a lot of money for a task such as this," Motau stated. He emphasized the need for clear line-item allocations within the budget, covering areas such as IT services, investigators, researchers, attorneys, evidence leaders, and commissioners.
"You have different working lines or working streams, for example, the procurement of IT services, investigators, researchers, attorneys, evidence leaders and commissioners. Once you have that budget, there needs to be an indication of what the line item allocations for the budget are. So with those lessons coming into this, you want to avoid that."
Personal Sacrifice and Continued Confidence
Despite the budget constraints, Motau clarified that his resignation was not motivated by financial concerns. He described his involvement in the commission as "an act of service," indicating that he and other leaders had taken significant pay cuts. "I was conscious that this is a different task. I call these matters ‘love for country’ matters, where it’s not about remuneration; it’s about contributing and bringing your expertise on board to assist the country in finding solutions," Motau explained.
Motau expressed confidence that his departure would not disrupt the commission's proceedings. "On account of my departure, there won’t be any disruption. I have confidence in those who are left at the commission. I do not want to create the impression that I’m casting any aspersions on the commission. My purpose is to explain things that haven’t come out yet," he concluded.
