PUBLIC PROTECTOR REPORT

Parliament, Friday, 14 October 2016 – Earlier today the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Baleka Mbete, received a letter from the Public Protector, Ms Thuli Madonsela requesting that she preserves and keeps safe the report on an “investigation into complaints of alleged improper and unethical conduct by the President and other state functionaries relating to alleged improper relationships and involvement of the Gupta family in the removal and appointment of Ministers and Directors of State Owned Entities (SOES) resulting in improper and possibly corrupt award of State contracts and benefits to the Gupta family’s businesses” until her successor assumes office. 

The Speaker has an obligation in terms of the Rules of the Assembly to table all documents received for the information of Members, in order to ensure that the business of the Assembly is conducted in an open and transparent manner. This report however cannot be handled in the same manner. 

The report will accordingly be returned to the Office of the Public Protector.

Update:

STATEMENT ON REQUEST BY PUBLIC PROTECTOR

Parliament, Saturday, 15 October 2016 - Yesterday the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Baleka Mbete, received a letter from the Public Protector requesting that she preserves and keeps safe the report on an “investigation into complaints of alleged improper and unethical conduct by the President and other state functionaries relating to alleged improper relationships and involvement of the Gupta family in the removal and appointment of Ministers and Directors of State Owned Entities (SOES) resulting in improper and possibly corrupt award of State contracts and benefits to the Gupta family’s businesses” until her successor assumes office.

The report was received and kept safe. 

The new Public Protector assumes office today, 15 October. The report will be returned on Monday to the Office of the Public Protector as the new Public Protector has now assumed office. 

Therefore, it is not true as reported in some online publication that the report was rejected. 

Statement issued by the Parliament, 14 and 15 October 2016