The police are conducting a judicial investigation into the death of ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson.
Joemat-Pettersson died unexpectedly on 5 June at the age of 59.
The cause of her death has still not been disclosed, but col. Athlenda Mathe, national police spokesperson, confirmed to News24 that an inquest is being conducted.
According to Mathe, the police are still waiting for the final report from the Department of Health in this regard. However, this will only be discussed with Joemat-Pettersson’s family and will not be made public.
Joemat-Pettersson was an ANC MP at the time of her death and served as chairman of the parliamentary portfolio committee for police. Before her death, however, she was involved in allegations that she was one of three members of parliament who tried to get R600 000 from Busisiwe Mkhwebane, suspended Public Protector (OB), husband, Mandla Skosana, Daily Maverick reports.
This would allegedly have been in return for the investigation into Mkhwebane – about her fitness for office – finally disappearing.
Mkhwebane said at a recent media conference that if the legislative authority had done its job, Joemat-Pettersson “would still be alive”. However, she did not elaborate on what she meant by the statement and also said that she did not know what the cause of Joemat-Pettersson’s death was.
However, Mkhwebane accused the DA, the ANC and parliament’s section 194 committee of dereliction of duty and also blamed the police, the Hawks and the speaker of parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. However, she said that she herself did not have any blood on her hands regarding Joemat-Pettersson’s death.
