Yengeni blind to Oliphant in the room
ANC MP Lumka Yengeni this week defended Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant, saying she would not allow her “political castration”.
Yengeni, chairwoman of the parliamentary portfolio committee on labour, was referring to findings in a forensic audit report that Oliphant’s special adviser, Herbert Mkhize, had fleeced the taxpayer of more than R1-million while he was executive director of the National Economic Development and Labour Council. The case is being investigated by the police.
Yengeni attacked the Sunday Times in crude language for reporting on the matter, even though the article was based on the forensic audit report.
She made it clear she was not going to call Oliphant to account any time soon over Mkhize’s appointment as adviser, even though Oliphant was aware of the damning forensic audit.
“I will not just call the minister to explain,” said Yengeni.
“We will rather deal with Nedlac on the issue. We need to find out what is behind the forensic audit report. Who commissioned it? We cannot just parrot its findings. We are not here to destroy anyone’s career.
“The Sunday Times wrote with malice. I will not comment on the crap. They never asked me,” said Yengeni.
“This committee will act as a collective. Only then will we speak, when we have the facts. I will call Nedlac and the De- partment of Labour to appear before the committee before the end of April. I have confidence Nedlac and the Department of Labour can answer the questions.”
DA MP Ian Ollis obtained the forensic report through a Protection of Access to Information Act application, and presented it to the portfolio committee.
Yengeni said she was still unaware of the report’s contents.
Oliphant’s spokesman, Sithembele Tshwete, said the minister would await the conclusion of the police investigation before deciding whether to take action against Mkhize.