SAA-Takatso probe: co-operation of Gordhan queried

SOME MPs have expressed their disapproval at the public enterprises portfolio committee for thanking Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan for his co-operation in its probe into the alleged irregularities in the SAA-Takatso deal.

This, after the draft report thanked him and former director general Kgathatso Tlhakudi when they probed the now-cancelled deal.

“Having considered the petition of the former director-general, Mr Kgathatso Tlhakudi, the committee wishes to thank the Minister of Public Enterprises for his co-operation, and Mr Tlhakudi for entrusting Parliament with investigating this matter,” read the draft report.

This part of the report did not satisfy some MPs, who felt they did not receive joy from Gordhan.

EFF MP Nqobile Mhlongo expressed her shock that Gordhan was thanked for being co-operative to the committee.

“The minister was not really co-operative,” Mhlongo said, referring to when he was asked to attend scheduled meetings.

She mentioned instances when Gordhan would write to the committee late at night or in the early hours of the morning to tender an apology, including one time when he said his doctor advised him not to fly to Cape Town after an appointment and another time when he went on a trip to China.

Mhlongo said they felt they had to beg him to provide documents. “When he finally brought them, the minister was throwing tantrums.

“I don't think we appreciate the drama he put us through to get reports.

“He was not co-operative and very reluctant to give or share documents,” Mhlongo said. “The draft report should be amended before it was adopted.”

ANC MP Nkosinathi Dlamini said Gordhan had seemed not to respond to their investigation.

But committee chairperson Khaya Magaxa held a different view. “At the end of the day, the minister did give the committee information … ”

Magaxa said their draft report made references to refusals by the minister to their requests, among other things.

“We did get information without a subpoena or going to court,” he said.

The MPs also took issue with letters they had received from Gordhan or the department, and a statement issued last week accusing Magaxa of malicious intent when the committee decided to refer the SAA-Takatso deal to the SIU.

ANC MP Thembi Siweya took issue that the correspondence suggested they ignored legal advice from the parliamentary legal services and that they were making wrong findings. Mhlongo came to the defence of Magaxa, saying the committee's decisions were not his personal resolutions.

Magaxa said if a person had problems about the outcome of the process, they knew “what direction” to take.

In its report, the committee said the SAA-Takatso deal should be referred to the SIU for further investigation.

It said Gordhan's failure to submit evidence on time had not assisted the process. He had also not provided the committee with any tangible evidence to persuade it not to believe some of the allegations by Tlhakudi.

“The committee cannot say the SAATakatso transaction was above board and will recommend law enforcement agencies unravel the truth about this transaction.”

Gordhan in a letter to the committee yesterday had said should they adopt and publish the report, the department will take the matter to court for review.