Parliament to debate Mohlaloga’s fate
CONVICTED fraudster Rubben Mohlaloga’s position as a member of the board of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) now lies in the hands of the National Assembly.
The National Assembly committee on communications resolved to recommend that Mohlaloga be axed from the board following his conviction for fraud in January.
Yesterday, the committee compiled a report which will be sent to the House for a vote on the future of the former ANC Youth League deputy president.
Mohlaloga and three others defrauded the Land Bank of R6 million – meant for poor, black emerging farmers – in 2008.
When he was convicted then communications minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane notified the National Assembly of the court outcome.
He was asked by the committee to make a representation why he should not be removed from the Icasa board.
Briefing the committee yesterday, parliamentary legal adviser Fatima Ebrahim said Mohlaloga had sent a transcript of the court judgment and indicated he would appeal against the conviction when he was sentenced on April 4.
Ebrahim said he confirmed in his court testimony that he was chairperson of the agriculture portfolio committee at the time of the offence. “Mr Mohlaloga also confirmed that he did indeed receive some money from the R6m but he testified that these payments actually constitute a loan,” she said. He confirmed he did not sign a loan agreement.
“At the time the matter was on trial he had not paid any of the money back.” Mohlaloga had used the money to buy himself two BMW vehicles.
Ebrahim said Mohlaloga had asked to be placed on suspension with full pay while he was appealing against the conviction.
“He is free to approach the appropriate court to test whether we applied the process correctly,” Ebrahim said when recommending Mohlaloga’s axing.