Ministers to be probed over mails
CABINET ministers implicated in the “leaked” e-mails that detail improper actions to advance the business interests of the Gupta family will be subjected to scrutiny by Parliament’s committees.
Among the members of the executive featured in the e-mails are Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Des van Rooyen, Public Service and Administration Minister Faith Muthambi, Communications Minister Ayanda Dlodlo and Minister of Mineral Resources Mosebenzi Zwane.
Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said yesterday that portfolio committees have been directed to “urgently” probe the allegations and report back to the National Assembly.
Mothapo said House chairperson of committees Cedric Frolick had last week written to the chairpersons of portfolio committees on Home Affairs, Mineral Resources, Public Enterprises and Transport.
Frolick, he said, advised the chairpersons to ensure immediate engagement with the concerned ministers so that Parliament gets to the bottom of the allegations.
“While no specific deadline has been set for the submission of the outcome of these investigations, the committees have been urged to begin with the work and report their recommendations to the House urgently,” Mothapo said.
“Parliament, as a representative body of the people of South Africa, shoulders the constitutional responsibility of ensuring that matters of major public interest are dealt with as expected by the people,” he said.
The e-mails are already a subject of an investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation and Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
The latest move by Parliament comes almost two weeks after the cabinet noted the media reports on the “leaked e-mails” implicating government officials and other persons in criminal wrongdoing.
The cabinet had urged those with information of malpractice by government officials or ministers to inform law enforcement agencies. It also called on those affected by the emails to co-operate with authorities.
Meanwhile, Zwane has again denied that the Guptas had flown him to Switzerland a year ago.
In another question from Cope’s Willie Madisha, he gave the same response.