Ministers face grilling in Parliament

CO-OPERATIVE Governance Minister Des van Rooyen and Minister of Public Service and Administration Faith Muthambi were in the firing line in Parliament yesterday over the former’s links to the Guptas, and the latter’s failure to attend the portfolio committee meetings to account for flying friends and family for her budget vote speech.

The two ministers were answering questions in the National Council of Provinces when MPs demanded answers on various allegations against them.

Van Rooyen denied any allegations of impropriety with the Guptas and said the commission of inquiry would clear his name. He also denied that the Guptas paid for his trip to Dubai in December 2015 before his brief appointment as finance minister.

He said he would not entertain questions on state capture as the commission of inquiry was going to be appointed.

Muthambi defended her decision to fly 30 friends and relatives for her budget vote speech in May. It was reported that she spent R300 000 flying her friends and relatives for the trip to Cape Town. She said she was allowed, by the Ministerial Handbook, to fly 30 people including friends and relatives for such events.

“I implore you to read Chapter 3 of the Ministerial Handbook because the tickets I used are called privilege tickets. I’ve got 30 tickets that I can utilise. I did not go beyond that,” said Muthambi.

The EFF said Muthambi did not deserve to be in the House as she refused to account to the portfolio committee on public service and administration over the matter.

Muthambi denied claims that she refused to go to the portfolio committee.