AS Leader of the Democratic Alliance in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, I will today write to Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, to seek clarity on whether provincial Speaker, Peggy Nkonyeni, has approached the Public Protector's office requesting an investigation into her business interests. 

This follows the revelation by the DA late last month that three companies, with which Nkonyeni has ties, have conducted business with the provincial government worth R347 000.  The claim, made on 28 October 2011 is the result of information obtained by the DA through a written parliamentary reply by KZN Finance MEC, Ina Cronje.  The Speaker has since fiercely denied the allegations, claiming that they are designed to tarnish her image.  In fact, she has gone so far as to say that she will personally approach the Public Protector and request an investigation in a bid to clear her name "once and for all".  That was a month ago and the DA is sceptical as to whether Nkonyeni has done so.  It is on this basis that I write to the Public Protector to request clarity.

It is strangely ironic that KZN Premier, Zweli Mkhize, should state at a conference held last week, entitled Integrity Management, that 1 024 public servants in the province are facing charges of corruption and fraud involving R529 million.  While the DA welcomes the announcement, one wonders whether the Speaker has been counted.

The DA in KwaZulu-Natal is committed to seeing this matter through.  For the record, we are not on some kind of witch-hunt.  We simply want the Speaker to honour her word and request the investigation - as she so publically promised she would.

Statement issued by Sizwe Mchunu, MPP, Leader of the DA in the KZN Legislature, November 27 2011

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