Another grilling in Parliament
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma told the National Assembly he had never sought to have state contracts awarded to his family, but restive opposition MPs refused to accept the blanket response.
“I have never sat in a meeting and asked anybody to help Duduzane,” Zuma said after MPs demanded to know, in particular, whether his son, who has close business ties with the controversial Gupta family, had been favoured for state business.
Zuma then failed to answer a question from DA leader Mmusi Maimane as to whether he would sue Brent Simmons, the chief director of public service and administration, who has submitted an affidavit to Speaker Baleka Mbete in which he accused the president of lying to Parliament when he claimed he had not introduced family members to government officials as business contacts.
The Sunday press reported that Simmons apparently cited a number of incidents in which he claims to have seen Zuma “directing” members of his family to the late public service and administration minister, Collins Chabane.
Zuma ignored the question, then insisted he had answered it after DA MPs chanted “answer the question”.
DA chief whip John Steenhuisen said he had not answered the question, but had, in fact, frustrated the process and asked Mbete to compel him to answer the question. She replied that she was not entitled to prescribe to the executive how to answer a question, prompting Steenhuisen to say the proceedings were a sham if she would not ensure the president answered questions.
EFF leader Julius Malema also asked why Zuma had failed to sue those who had made serious allegations against him, and if this meant that their claims were true.
“Why don’t you take action to protect the good image of the office?” Malema asked. – ANA