Members of the Portfolio Committee on Sport were seething about spelling and grammatical errors in a resolution presented to Parliament - including a reference to “Mr C Semenye”.

Butana Komphela, the chairman of the Committee, claimed that the document had been drawn up by Parliament’s legal division.

The Committee accepted a resolution to summon the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) after its management twice declined to report back about the handling of the Semenya debacle, as well as a forensic audit into the financial affairs of Athletics South Africa (ASA).

Apart from the incorrect, honorific and repeated spelling errors in Semenya's surname, there was also a problem with the date on the document, as well as an incorrect interpretation of the Parliamentary process around the resolution.

Cedrick Frolick, a member of the ruling African National Congress, said he was "shocked" by the quality of the document.

"I am stunned by the inability to draw up a watertight technical document," he said.

"The Committee’s integrity is being put in a bad light."

Komphela warned that if SASCOC's top officials refused to appear before Parliament then they risked going to jail.

"If we have to make all SASCOC go to jail, so be it . but we are destined to make sure that SASCOC respects this institution," he said.

South Africa's ruling sports body refused two invitations from the committee, on August 11 and 26, to present the results of their investigations into the handling of the controversy surrounding Semenya that led to Leonard Chuene, the President of ASA, being suspended.

Last week, furious Committee members who accused SASCOC of arrogance, disrespect and unlawful behaviour, decided to force its leadership to appear.

Today's resolution calls upon SASCOC President Gideon Sam to "produce the investigation report into the handling of the gender testing of Ms C Semenya" by ASA and the forensic audit report on ASA's finances as well as "appear before the Committee to give verbal evidence".

The resolution was adopted after the typing errors had to be corrected and legal issues were resolved.


Related stories
August 2010: South African officials to face charges over Semenya scandal
July 2010: Semenya cleared to run again after a year's investigation into gender
June 2010: Semenya still in limbo after press conference cancelled
April 2010: Semenya claims she will return to track in June
March 2010: Angry Semenya ready to defy IAAF and race again