MPs angered as Transnet snubs Scopa meeting

TRANSNET chairwoman Linda Mabaso and her board have evoked the ire of MPs for snubbing a standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) meeting to account for financial deviations at the parastatal.

Transnet was set to appear before Scopa to discuss and account for deviations from normal procurement processes as well as expansions.

The Scopa meeting was one of only two committees sitting in parliament, which means MPs had to be flown to Cape Town by parliament just to attend the meeting.

Committee chairman Themba Godi said Mabaso only alerted him on Monday that she would not be able to make the meeting.

Godi also told MPs that Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown submitted a doctor’s note that she would not be available for the same meeting because she had been booked off.

“Firstly on Monday I received a letter from the chairperson of the board dated December 4‚ where she was impressing on me that she thinks it will be a good thing if we discuss deviations‚ expansions and media reports together.

“And it would be good if we could do so in January,” Godi said.

MPs reacted angrily to the suggestion.

“We didn’t call this meeting to talk to ourselves. This is a hearing of Transnet and we cannot start without them. It’s a grave concern,” ANC MP Nthabiseng Khunou said. “This is really undermining parliament and the institution itself. Transnet has to be dealt with harshly for what they have done today.”

Tim Brauteseth, of the DA, said the move by Transnet was an insult to the committee. DA MP David Ross said there should be serious consequences for Transnet.

Mkhuleko Hlengwa, of the IFP, said parliament should be reimbursed for the MPs’ trips.

“And it mustn’t come from Transnet‚ it must come from their own pockets.”