Ramaphosa-administration continues to reward Bruce Koloane

25 November 2019

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, to request that the Department recover all transfer fees which were paid out to former South African Ambassador to the Netherlands, Bruce Koloane. This, after the DA has learnt that Koloane has not been asked to repay his transfer fees despite the fact that he resigned and confessed that he abused his diplomatic powers in order to facilitate the Gupta Waterkloof landing in 2013.

Yet, despite the fact that this decision would have compromises state security and caused the major embarrassment that it has – it did not stop the then Minister of International Relations, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane from providing Koloane with a  glowing letter of recommendation, followed by the tacit agreement of the Executive, including former President Jacob Zuma himself.

The DA has relentlessly pursued the principle that justice must take place in this instance and was relieved when Koloane's resignation was announced. However, it was with shock that the DA learnt that Koloane was never asked to repay his transfer fees, even though he resigned and confessed to compromising state security.

It is for this reason that the DA is of the view that Koloane must pay back the money, and we will also request a time-frame as to when this will be done.

The Ramaphosa administration simply ignoring the Koloane-matter is tantamount to condoning behaviours similar to that of Jacob Zuma, enshrining State Capture and is indicative of a Government which rewards those who partake in wrongdoing.

Issued by Darren Bergman, DA Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, 25 November 2019