Stella comes back after lunch furore
THE Minister for Communications and Digital Technologies, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, is expected to resume her ministerial duties this week following her suspension.
Ndabeni-Abrahams was suspended by President Cyril Ramaphosa on April 8 after a picture of her and former higher education deputy minister Mduduzi Manana having lunch was circulated on social media. This sparked a furore, with many accusing her of contravening the country’s Covid-19 lockdown regulations.
Shortly after the picture emerged, Manana defended the gathering by claiming that the minister came to his house to collect personal protective gear from his charity organisation, the Mduduzi Manana Foundation – an explanation that was immediately shot down as a lie.
In response to the public outrage, Ramaphosa summoned Ndabeni-Abrahams on April 7 to hear her side of the story.
A day later, he announced that he was suspending her for two months, one of which would be unpaid.
The president said that during the meeting he expressed his disapproval of the minister’s actions.
“The nationwide lockdown calls for absolute compliance on the part of all South Africans. Members of the national executive carry a special responsibility in setting an example. None of us – not least a member of the national executive – should undermine our national effort to save lives in this very serious situation,” Ramaphosa said at the time.
When Khusela Diko, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, was asked to officially confirm the end of the suspension, she referred all questions to Ndabeni-Abrahams’ department.
The department’s spokesperson, Mish Molakeng, said Ndabeni-Abrahams was still not back at work yesterday, but would be some time this week.
While Ndabeni-Abrahams was away, Minister in the Presidency, Jackson Mthembu acted in her position.