Malusi Gigaba’s resignation does not recuse him of wrongdoing

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the resignation of Malusi Gigaba as Minister of Home Affairs. We maintain that those who serve our country in high office ought to embody integrity, selflessness and always remain above reproach. Malusi Gigaba – like many in the ANC and in Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet – falls desperately short of this standard of leadership.

Malusi Gigaba is a product of the system of corruption within the ANC that continues to oppress South Africans. Gigaba has been found by the Public Protector to have violated the Constitution and the Executive Ethics Code following a complaint by the DA in relation to the Fireblade matter. The Public Protector made recommendations that President Cyril Ramaphosa take disciplinary action against Gigaba.

Moreover, in the matter of Fireblade Aviation (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Home Affairs, the North Gauteng High Court found that Gigaba, as Home Affairs Minister, “deliberately told untruths under oath” and that “he committed a breach of the constitution so serious that I could characterise it as a violation”.

Therefore, we are of the view that Gigaba’s resignation does not recuse him of his wrongdoing. We have already laid criminal charges of perjury against Mr Gigaba and will pursue those charges to ensure justice is served.

The DA will not abandon our legal action to have the court declare that the appointment of Malusi Gigaba and Bathabile Dlamini as ministers by President Ramaphosa was unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid. We are seeking an order by the court to this effect. Our legal team has approached the North Gauteng High Court on 23 October 2018, and we can confirm that the matter is set down for 11 March 2019

We must not forget that it was under Gigaba’s first tenure as Home Affairs Minister that draconian and job killing visa regulations were implemented, damaging large sectors of our economy. And it was under Gigaba’s tenure as Finance Minister that taxes were increased – including VAT to 15% - and SOEs continued to receive massive bailouts at the expense of the South African people.

Our nation deserves ethical and accountable leadership that prioritises the needs of its citizens ahead of the needs of the ANC. Cyril Ramaphosa has chosen to place unity within the ANC first, as his cabinet remains packed with Ministers such as Bathabile Dlamini and Nomvula Mokonyane who have failed in their mandates.

Malusi Gigaba is not an outlier in the ANC, he is a product of the ANC. The truth is that under the ANC, our country is headed in the wrong direction. Corruption is rife and there is a lack of respect for the law and the requirements of high office. We cannot sit back and watch the ANC continue to undermine our nation and its people.

Statement issued by John Steenhuisen MP, Chief Whip of the Democratic Alliance, 13 November 2018