SUBJECT: [ID] HANIFF HOOSEN: SATISFIED WITH PUBLIC PROTECTOR REPORT ON MINISTER SICELO SHICEKA

The Independent Democrats Secretary-General Haniff Hoosen MP has welcomed the "explosive" report presented by the Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela at Parliament this morning.

Mr Hoosen was the first complainant in the matter and called for an investigation into Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister Sicelo Shiceka's travel to Switzerland on state expenses to visit his girlfriend as well as his abuse of state funds on five star hotel expenditure.

The Public Protector recommended that President Jacob Zuma take serious action against Minister Shiceka for his contravention of the Executive Members Ethics Act as well as misleading the Presidency on the reasons and purpose of his travel to Switzerland.

‘I am satisfied with the investigation and findings. It is now up to President Zuma to take urgent action against Minister Shiceka and fire him from his job.

‘We suspect that in this case, the President will act more speedily than he did against the Public Works minister and the National Commissioner of Police as we believe that Minister Shiceka has long fallen out of favour with his "friends" in the ruling party,' says Hoosen.

One of the findings of the Public Protector's report was that Minister Shiceka booked himself into fancy hotels in Cape Town at state expense even though he was allocated a state house in Cape Town. Minister Shiceka's reasoning for doing so was that mosquitoes were attacking him in his state house.

‘We are also very satisfied that the Public Protector has recommended that step be taken to recover the costs of the abuse of state expenditure. This is a step in the right direction and we are happy that our fight to get the taxpayers money back is supported by the Public Protector.

‘We hope that this will also serve as a warning to other Ministers who have become accustomed to living the "high life",' Hoosen says.

Statement issued by Haniff Hoosen MP, ID Secretary General, October 14 2011

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