Should report suspicions
IT was refreshing to see Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor raising questions about the lifestyles of her ANC cabinet colleagues.
She says that they live in houses that are far bigger than hers, and implies that they must have received these and other benefits through ill-gotten gains.
While the obvious point is welcome, I suspect that Pandor’s latest awakening is based far more on the internal factional warfare within the ANC than a genuine damascene transformation.
Certainly Pandor’s voting record on the Nkandla report and other key votes in the National Assembly hardly demonstrates the same zeal which she now appears to be adopting.
I do hope, however, that Pandor will be exercising her duty as a citizen and member of the legislative authority, to report these suspected acts of corruption by her cabinet colleagues to the law enforcement authorities.
As a member of the executive she would be aware that the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act (which she helped pass) was promulgated to deal with just such cases.
To be aware of suspected corrupt activities, share these publicly, and then not report these suspicions would be rather hypocritical and counterproductive, and would expose as cynically expedient her apparent attempt to take a stand against such corruption.
John Steenhuisen MP, chief whip of the official opposition, Cape Town