United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa on Monday questioned the deadline set by the African National Congress for the Directorate of Special Operations -- or Scorpions -- to be incorporated into the SA Police Service.

"Why, of all the pressing issues that face the nation, is the new ANC leadership obsessed with this one issue? The people of this country have been crying out for years upon years for the ANC to address unemployment, poverty and crime," Holomisa said in a statement.

This comes after the ANC's national executive committee met over the weekend and "urgently resolved" that those members of the Scorpions performing police functions be absorbed into the police by June 2008.

"Actually working with government, we have agreed that a proper programme and structure to accelerate that process be put in place."

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said on Sunday.

Mantashe said the resolution to incorporate the Scorpions into the SAPS was not informed by or linked to the charges against ANC President Jacob Zuma.

"The question of the charges against the president never arose in the meeting," he said.

Holomisa said there were no justifiable reasons for disbanding the Scorpions.

"We are not blind to the fact that a disturbing amount of people who now think they control the ANC, and indeed the entire country, have pending cases against them or had previous brushes with the law," he said.

The UDM called on President Thabo Mbeki's government to delay the decision about the future of the Scorpions until the election and allow voters to decide on the matter.

Holomisa said the UDM may seek legal opinion on how to prevent the disbanding of the Scorpions.

With acknowledgement to Sapa.