#Jetgate: DA calls on President to table Defence report before Parliament
15 September 2020
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will ask the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, Cyril Xaba, to request that the report into the ANC’s abuse of an air force jet be tabled before Parliament so that it can be studied and thoroughly scrutinised.
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has reportedly handed over the report to President Cyril Ramaphosa, however, no indication has been made about whether or not this report will be shared with Parliament or whether it will be made public.
The DA is of the view that in the interest of accountability and transparency, it is important that this report is referred to Parliament. We cannot allow a situation where a report which potentially details a flagrant abuse of scarce State resources to be unilaterally viewed and decided upon by the President, when the abuse happened right under his nose and was actioned by his own political party.
President Ramaphosa’s track record in holding his ANC comrades accountable for corruption has been dismal. Despite his tough talk, his poor track record on corruption makes it impossible for us to believe that he will deal with Jetgate impartially.
The DA maintains that, South Africa cannot afford another whitewashed report that exonerates ANC Secretary-General, Ace Magashule and his cronies from violating lockdown regulations – especially when this ANC government thought it a good idea to criminalise thousands of South Africans for trying to buy cigarettes or surf during the Covid-19 lockdown period.
The DA will continue to pursue accountability and transparency. For corruption and abuse of State resources to be rooted out, all levers of our democracy will need work as one strong unit - Parliament’s role of holding the executive accountable is a big and essential part of the puzzle.
We need to send a strong and unyielding message that the corruption under the Ramaphosa-administration has no place in our society, and holding the Executive accountable is now more important than it has ever been.
Issued by Kobus Marais, DA Shadow Minister of Defence, 15 September 2020
