Balfour must answer questions around prisons housing scandal

It has now emerged that former Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour advised National Commissioner Xoliswa Sibeko not to make use of the official accommodation available to her. The ensuing prisons housing scandal and disciplinary hearings of Sibeko and Balfour's wife, Gauteng Correctional Services Regional Commissioner Thozama Mqobi-Balfour, leave many unanswered questions and former Minister Balfour must now be recalled from his post as ambassador of Botswana to testify.

Both Sibeko and Mqobi-Balfour rented accommodation at the upmarket Woodhill golf estate in Pretoria at some R35 000 per month per person at the cost of the public despite having the use of a government-funded house. If Balfour approved this housing then he in effect approved his own lavish accommodation.

Mqobi-Balfour was suspended last week pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing into her alleged misconduct for the luxury property rental at the public's expense, amongst other things. This suspension came six months after her colleague, Sibeko, had been suspended for the same alleged offence. It needs to be asked - did Mqobi-Balfour receive preferential treatment as a result of being married to the former Minister? It also needs to be asked - how could the then Minister condone such expensive accommodation for Sibeko and by token housing for his wife that he directly benefited from?

The new revelations, which emerged in this morning's Mail & Guardian, mean that the only reasonable course of action now is to recall Mr. Balfour from his ambassadorial duties in Botswana to testify at his wife's disciplinary hearing.

Statement issued by James Selfe, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of correctional services, January 15 2010

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