MPs insist officials answer for absence

ANGRY members of Parliament have insisted that Transnet’s board officials be held personally accountable after failing to pitch at a meeting of the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) yesterday.

The Transnet board Scopa had previously agreed on the meeting which would discuss the expansion and deviation of contracts at the state-owned company.

The Hawks were expected to make a presentation on investigations into the company’s affairs.

Instead, Transnet submitted a 62-page document containing information on the contracts and forensic investigations after its request for postponement was dismissed.

This sparked outrage from the committee members across the political divide with calls for the entity to be summonsed and that board members and executives be personally held liable for the costs of the cancelled meeting.

The ANC’s Nyami Booi said the conduct of Transnet was “defiance of Parliament”.

“They think Parliament is a place to play around and Scopa is the ball. Why are they running away?” Booi asked.

Scopa chairman Themba Godi told the committee that Transnet board chairperson Linda Mabaso had on Monday and Tuesday asked for a postponement of the meeting to January.

Despite her request being rejected, Transnet chose to not pitch up yesterday to the dismay of the angry MPs.

Booi said he was shocked that Mabaso had asked for the delay as she had been quiet at the committee’s previous meeting.

“What is she to tell us in January. We speak about someone who did not open her mouth,” he said.

The DA’s Tim Brauteseth said the absence of Transnet at the meeting was an insult to Scopa.

“They treated us shoddily. They treated us without respect,” Brauteseth said.

“It is absolutely despicable that we are disrespected in this fashion.”

He said the Hawks and National Treasury officials, who were to make presentations in the meeting, were also disrespected.

“We should act in the strongest possible terms,” he said.

IFP’s Mkhuleko Hlengwa said when he flew to Cape Town, there were Transnet officials in Durban on their way to Cape Town in preparation for the cancelled meeting.

“We speak of people who are loitering here. There are costs they incurred,” Hlengwa said, before calling for the Transnet board be made to personally pay the costs of the cancelled meeting. His sentiments were echoed by Brauteseth. “There must be investigation of cost of our meeting… and recover from them,” he said.

Godi said they would write to the board and minister to express their displeasure in Transnet’s conduct.

He also said the costs of meeting would investigated and that National Treasury and the Hawks should indicate their costs.

“We will also find out at how many people did come to Cape Town and ended not coming to the meeting,” he said.

Godi also said Transnet would be subpoenaed instead of the unusual invitation to their meeting next month.

“We subpoena them so that they suffer indignity of subpoenaed.”

This was unanimously supported by the parties with Booi saying “the minister must bring them”.

Hlengwa said: “The subpoena must issued as a matter of urgency.” – Staff Reporter

WE WILL ALSO FIND OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE DID COME TO CAPE TOWN AND ENDED UP NOT COMING TO THE MEETING