ANC uses its majority to keep PetroSA Forensic Audit Report secret

15 November 2016

In today’s Portfolio Committee on Energy, ANC MPs used their majority to ensure the PetroSA forensic audit report, dealing with R14.5 billion in losses, would be withheld from the public, despite persistent objections by the opposition.

PetroSA claim the audit reports contain commercially sensitive information as well as allegations against named individuals. Yet again, the ANC and its cadres are doing their utmost to evade accountability for the colossal losses at PetroSA.

After the DA raised serious objections to the reports remaining secret, the Chairperson of the Committee, Fikile Majola, agreed to release a brief summary of the findings.

This is unacceptable. Releasing a summary directly undermines the transparency required when state institutions report to Parliament.

The DA will be writing to Chairperson Majola demanding full-sight of the underlying documents, failing which we will be escalating our request to Parliament’s Chair of Chairs.

Rule 227 (1) (c) of the National Assembly Rules gives powers to the Portfolio Committees to “monitor, investigate, enquire into and make recommendations concerning any such executive organ of the state, constitutional institution or body or institution….”

The fact that the reports are being withheld is a direct violation of the National Assembly rules as well as the Constitution.

There is a stench of political concealment with regard to the audit reports and it is becoming clear that ANC cadres are implicated in the findings, which spurs on the need to keep the reports secret.

We will not rest until we get to the bottom of PetroSA’s financial problems. The first step must be the airing of all financial malfeasance embedded within the forensic audit report. It is crucial that the people of South Africa know how their money is being managed by state institutions

Issued by Pieter Van Dalen, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Energy, 15 November 2016