Commission calls for action on Bongo
FORMER minister of state security and current chairperson of the home affairs portfolio committee Bongani Bongo has remained mum on calls by the ANC’S integrity commission to step aside to allow legal processes to take place.
Commission chairperson George Mashamba said yesterday the party’s national executive committee (NEC) must take action on the matter.
Bongo was arrested two weeks ago for the alleged bribery in 2017 of Ntuthuzelo Vanara, a senior official in Parliament and the then-evidence leader in the inquiry into the looting at Eskom.
Yesterday Bongo refused to comment on the integrity commission’s statement that he should step aside from his positions, including those in Parliament, until the court case is concluded.
He said he would not comment until someone spoke to him about the matter.
Bongo has denied the allegations against him.
In a statement, Mashamba said it was time for the NEC to act against Bongo.
“The integrity commission further recommends that the NEC take swift and decisive action to restore the confidence of the public in the ANC’S stated position of zero tolerance against corruption.
“To that end, Comrade Bongo should be instructed to step aside with immediate effect from all positions and activities of the ANC, including his deployment into public office by the organisation, until his name has been cleared of the criminal charges levelled against him,” said Mashamba.
Deputy President David Mabuza caused a stir after the May elections when he refused to be sworn-in as an MP.
This followed reports that he was among 22 senior ANC members who were flagged by the integrity commission.
Mabuza said he would not take an oath of office until he was cleared by the commission.
Other ANC members who were also flagged appeared before the commission before assuming their seats in Parliament.
ANC MP Vincent Smith last year stepped aside after he was accused by former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi of taking money from the company to pay for his daughter’s studies overseas.
Smith said he would step aside as the chairperson of the standing committee on the auditor-general, the chairperson of the justice committee and the chairperson of the ad hoc committee on the expropriation of land without compensation.