STOP BUSINESS DEALS WITH GOVT
Keorapetse warns the president, ministers
Member of Parliament for Selibe-phikwe West, Dithapelo Keorapetse, has warned President Mokgweetsi Masisi, the Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane, and Cabinet ministers to stay away from doing business with government.
When debating the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities (Amendment) No.2) Bill 2020 this week in Parliament, Keorapetse said that the President should be the one leading his cabinet by not doing business with government because he has access to privileged information.
The president, Keorapetse argued, receives intelligence information briefs on where opportunities lie, which gives him an unfair advantage over the entire citizenry.
“The President receives information on where opportunities are and how the country is going to develop. He knows which areas will be developed and how, and him being engaged in business can compromise a lot,” Keorapetse said.
The Umbrella for Democratic Change MP went further and asked for independence of organisations such as the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime, Auditor General, Director of Public Prosecutions, Ombudsman and the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board, which are currently under the auspices of the Office of the President.
He said that when removed from the Office of the President, the said organs would deliver on their mandate, as there would be no interference from politicians. He also called for the Director General of the Ethics and Integrity Directorate to be the sole person who does the declaration of assets instead of the speaker, ministers and president. “Amendments to the Act should be that all those who declare their assets should do that to the Directorate of Ethics not the President and other politicians,” Keorapetse said.
He remarked that there were allegations that some board chairpersons were already asking for permission to leave their positions because they could not support the Bill.
He said those resigning or not seeking extension of their terms know that they have been enriching themselves.
“We know of some whose loans were written off and those who are failing to provide audits,” he added.