SISULU CHALLENGES MAYNIER TO STOP MEDIA GRANDSTANDING AND WRITE TO THE PUBLIC PROTECTOR ON VVIP PLANES

Cape Town, July 2, 2012. Following media reports that the DA's David Maynier has threatened to report the procurement process for the purchasing of the South African Air Force planes to support the President and Deputy President to the Public Protector, the former Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Lindiwe Sisulu has called on Mr Maynier to stop making idle threats in the media and report the matter in writing to the Public Protector.

The Minister added that she is familiar with Mr Maynier's usual noise without action, as all cases he had reported to the Public Protector when she was Minister of Defence and Military Veterans were ruled against him and no wrong-doing was found on the part of the Minister. "In all our actions we always ensure that we receive the right advice before we act, in this matter we received advice from National Treasury, the Accountant General and a number of other institutions. We are absolutely convinced that the procurement process we followed is the correct one. Mr Maynier is welcome to report the matter to the Public Protector", she said.

Minister Sisulu added that to ensure that the newly appointed Minister of Defence and Military Veterans is able to decide how best to deal with the complex issue of VVIP transport and also define her priorities, she advised the Secretary for Defence, Dr Sam Gulube to suspend the process of purchasing the planes until he has received the necessary direction from the new Minister.

"There are a number of ways you can approach the provision of air transport for the President and Deputy President, from lease to purchase. We had come to the conclusion that purchasing was the best option, but we did not want to impose that on the new Minister, we wanted her to look at the challenge, analyse it and find the best solution without any pressure, so we said to the Secretary for Defence it is wise to suspend the negotiations and process until the new Minister has settled in and defined her priorities, it is a complex matter", she added.

Statement issued by Ndivhuwo Mabaya, Head of Media Services, Ministry for Public Service and Administration, July 2 2012

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