Mqobi-Balfour suspended: the public has a right to know why
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the cautionary suspension of Thozama Mqobi-Balfour, the Regional Correctional Services Commissioner in Gauteng. However, following grave allegations of maladministration against her the DA finds it unacceptable that the Department has not made the reasons for the suspension public.
Mqobi-Balfour, wife of former Minister of Correctional Services, Ngconde Balfour, was implicated in a number of scandals mid last year and now, six months later, has been suspended. What is going on? Have further incidences come to light or has the Department finally stopped dragging its feet and decided to investigate the former Minister's wife?
It emerged in July last year that Mqobi-Balfour was renting property at the expense of the public to the tune of R35 000 per month, despite having an official residence available to her. Her colleague, Xoliswa Sibeko (the National Commissioner) who was implicated in the very same housing scandal, was suspended 6 months ago. Further to this, it was reported that Mqobi-Balfour hired a Mercedes Benz, at a cost of R2 000 a day to attend a choir contest (for which she also claimed further expenses of R12 000) and attended the Grahamstown Arts Festival to watch the Leeukop Prison Choir at a cost of R11 400, amongst other monies claimed from the Department's budget.
Correctional Services spokesperson Manelisi Wolela would not say whether Mqobi-Balfour had been placed on cautionary suspension for alleged corruption nor would he give other reasons for it.
Swift action is needed to resolve the suspension cases of corrupt government officials as the cost of these cases dragging on for many months is most concerning. The Department of Correctional Services had a R500 million budget overrun last year and yet, it is forking out on salaries of suspended officials. Sibeko has been on paid suspension for 6 months, Mr Patrick Gillingham (Regional Commissioner Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North-West) has been on suspension since September 2008 and now Mqobi-Balfour has been added to the list.
I will be asking Parliamentary questions in this regard as soon as Parliament is in session.
Statement issued by James Selfe, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of correctional services, January 12 2009
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