DA reports Minister Dlodlo to Ethics Committee for French Open and Gupta Dubai trips

7 June 2017

The DA have thoroughly interrogated the 2015 Register of Members’ Interests and found that Communications Minister, Ayanda Dlodlo, failed to declare her 2015 trip to Dubai as well as her stay at the luxurious Oberoi Hotel when she was still Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration.

Further allegations emerged yesterday by former ANC MP, Vytjie Mentor, that Dlodlo accepted an offer from a French Nuclear company for a first class flight to watch the French Open tennis tournament, an extended stay at a luxury hotel and a possible shopping spree in 2009.

These expenses were not declared in either the 2009 or 2010 Register of Members’ Interests.

The DA will, therefore, refer Minister Dlodlo to the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests for this failure to disclose these expenses.

Documents show her stay in Dubai was arranged by Gupta-owned Sahara Computers and the cost of her stay (including spa massages, room service, accommodation and car hire) was paid by Fana Hlongwane, who was implicated in former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report and the arms deal, and has claimed to be “like an uncle” to President Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane.

In terms of the Parliamentary Code of Conduct, the following should be disclosed by MPs:

- Section 9.11 on Travel requires a brief description of the journey, the particulars of the sponsor and the estimated value of travel, accommodation and subsistence and travel allowances; and

- Section 9.3.8 on foreign travel requires that Member’s declare any business visits unrelated to the Member’s role as a public representative, and official and formal visits paid for by an organ of State or the Member’s party.

Clearly, Minister Dlodlo has a lot to answer for.

The flood of revelations contained in the Gupta emails are further proof of the family’s unbridled influence over countless ANC public representatives.

Yet more allegations of another lavish trip accepted by Dlodlo, which she failed to declare, must now raise serious questions.

What is of great importance is that Minister Dlodlo confirmed yesterday that the Gupta-owned company did indeed organise her stay and that Hlongwane paid for it.  This admission is therefore the first official legitimisation of all of the Gupta emails and the shocking extent of State Capture that they reveal.

These emails also provide concrete proof that the ANC has sold our country for the benefit of a few politically connected individuals, at the expense of 55 million South Africans.

The DA will also continue to investigate any possible links which the newly appointed Communications Minister may have to the Guptas, as we cannot afford yet another captured individual to have free reign over the communication ministry.

Issued by Phumzile van Damme, DA Shadow Minister of Communications, 7 June 2017