DA to refer Lumka Yengeni to Ethics Committee 

6 June 2016

The DA will today refer ANC MP and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Labour, Ms Lumka Yengeni, to the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests (Ethics Committee) for her violation of the Code of Ethics in that she has settled to avoid being found guilty at the CCMA of violating the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.

I will be urging the Registrar of the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interest, Ms Fazela Mahomed, to accede to our request and subsequently investigate this matter. Ms Yengeni has violated Code of Ethics as an MP and must be relieved from her duties of residing over labour matters in Parliament as clearly she does not respect labour laws nor the rights of workers. 

The fact that the ANC has come out in support of Ms Yengeni is shameful. This demonstrates again just how much the ANC has changed. They are more interested in protecting the condemnable conduct of their own MPs than the rights of working South Africans.  

Indeed, it is saddening to see workers, who are already suffering from being paid low salaries being exploited by the same people who are meant to protect them and their interests. Ms Yengeni cannot be allowed to keep her position for the sake of safeguarding worker’s rights and dignity.

It is appalling to read the outcomes that emanate from the CCMA enquiry on how Ms Yengeni made her domestic worker work ten hour shifts without any adequate breaks. This is also a violation of human rights and we will be ensuring that this matter is treated as such.

The lives and livelihoods of all workers- including domestic workers- should be safeguarded. It is the founding precept of the Department of Labour and the Portfolio Committee to ensure these workers are not abused. 

We will ensure that Ms Yengeni and others who mirror her conduct are held accountable and that they are held accountable for their flagrant abuse of the poor. 

This hypocrisy is simply unacceptable and in the interests of the scores of workers and labourers in SA, the DA simply cannot allow her to remain as Chairperson of this Committee or any committee for that matter. As such, the Ethics Committee must satisfy itself and Parliament that she is indeed still a fit and proper person to be a public representative.

Issued by Ian Ollis, DA Shadow Minister of Labour, 6 June 2016