Outa praises public protector for reports on serious offences

THE Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has welcomed the public protector’s reports which implicate Treasury director-general Dondo Mogajane as well as former ministers Malusi Gigaba and Fikile Mbalula.

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has reported that Treasury director-general Dondo Mogajane did not disclose a conviction when applying for his position, and that former finance minister Gigaba’s conduct in hiring him was “improper”.

In addition, Mkhwebane found that Mbalula violated the Executive Ethics Act and the constitution by asking a Sascoc sporting goods supplier to help him pay for his 2016 family holiday to Dubai.

This is a serious offence for a minister and speaks volumes regarding the

misconduct and unethical behaviour that needs to be rooted out within the government.

“Unless the government sets the bar high and ensures that all members of the Cabinet and Parliament conduct themselves in a fit and proper manner, society will not take those in authority seriously, which will exacerbate the government’s current crisis of legitimacy,” said Outa chief executive Wayne Duvenage.

“In the case of Minister Mbalula, this matter took far too long to get this outcome and we would like to see people in these positions investigated and dismissed far sooner if found guilty of such serious transgressions.

“The public protector has finally shown some courage in investigating violations by state officials who have

abused their power while in office.

“We trust that President Cyril Ramaphosa will use this opportunity to send a clear and strong anti-corruption message by acting decisively and swiftly.”

Also implicated in the PP’s report is former Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, who is claimed to have violated the code of ethics by using her position to secure tablets for her son’s maths programme at a Khayelitsha school in 2014.

“While on the surface Zille’s gesture to support her son in providing muchneeded extra tuition to under-resourced children appears to be for the greater good, undue influence is a slippery slope and the law needs to be applied equally to everyone,” said Duvenage.

| WAYNE DUVENAGE OUTA CEO