Gigaba cannot waste public money by taking Public Protector report on review
1 November 2018
On Wednesday, the Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, made recommendations that President Cyril Ramaphosa take disciplinary action against Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba for violating the Constitution and the Executive Ethics Code following a complaint by the Democratic Alliance (DA) on the Fireblade matter.
The Minister stated that he is studying the report and will advise on his next course of action in due time.
Given the ANC government’s track record, this probably means that the Minister will take this report on review.
The DA will oppose any effort by the Minister to review the Public Protector’s recommendations using taxpayers’ funds.
The Minister has already spent R874 199.25 in public funds in defending the Fireblade case. After his appeal to the Constitutional Court was dismissed, he approached the Supreme Court of Appeal which similarly dismissed his application.
Gigaba has since indicated his intention to approach the Constitutional Court again to appeal against the decision of the Supreme Court of Appeals.
The South African public purse cannot be ransacked to finance the Minister’s fanciful legal actions in perpetuity.
Doing so has emboldened the Minister to tap the public purse with reckless abandon. Most recently this was the case regarding the defamation action instituted by the Minister against journalist Redi Thlabi for a slight on Twitter.
President Ramaphosa must not only draw the line for Gigaba, he must rid the country once and for all of this compromised Minister.
The President must begin to restore public confidence in the commitment of the government to ethical, accountable leadership by firing Gigaba.
Update:
Concourt dismissal confirms Gigaba lied under oath
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the decision of the Constitutional Court to dismiss the appeal of Minister Malusi Gigaba against the finding that he lied under oath and thus violated the Constitution.
This judgment comes just one day after the Public Protector recommended that president Cyril Ramaphosa take disciplinary action against the Minister for the same infraction.
The judgment also removes any basis on which the Minister may hope to be vindicated and leaves no doubt that his conduct merits the harshest sanction.
We must remember that this judgment stems from a judicial challenge to an attempt by Gigaba to dishonour a contractual agreement with Fireblade to the benefit of the Gupta family.
The DA will now submit parliamentary questions to determine exactly how much this futile exercise by Gigaba will cost the taxpayer.
The failure of the president to dismiss Gigaba will mark his definitive vote in favour of dishonesty and corruption.
This is a watershed moment wherein the president’s ‘New Dawn’ is being put to the test.
Our message to Ramaphosa is clear: fire Gigaba for the sake of all South Africans who have endured the scourge of corruption for too long and begin to put an end to the State Capture project once and for all.
Statements issued by John Steenhuisen MP, Chief Whip of the Democratic Alliance, 2 November 2018
Issued by John Steenhuisen, Chief Whip of the Democratic Alliance, 1 November 2018
