Rasool appointment continues: DA writing to President Zuma
The DA has written to President Jacob Zuma, requesting that he intervene and withhold the appointment of Ebrahim Rasool as the ambassador to Washington, pending an investigation into the damning allegations against him.
Recent media reports have indicated that Mr. Rasool's deployment is set to continue, even though allegations of improper dealings between Rasool and a former Cape Argus reporter surfaced this week. While officials in the United States embassy in South Africa have confirmed that Mr. Rasool has been accepted as South Africa's next ambassador, it is up to the president to exercise his prerogative and withhold the appointment in light of the serious corruption allegations against the former Premier.
President Zuma has on numerous occasions made a commitment to rooting out corruption in his administration and committed his administration to a change in the ethos of public service. For instance, in his address on the 22 April, 2010, ‘Changing the Way Government works,' President Zuma said:
‘Changing the way government works also entails ensuring clean government. Our supply chain management systems must not be open to abuse by officials. We are sharpening our corruption busting instruments in government to ensure that corruption does not thrive in the public sector. [...]
‘If we are serious about changing the way government works, and the way public servants work, we must use the performance management system correctly and effectively. People must be rewarded for hard work that changes the lives of citizens for the better. Those who do not perform, and who fail to change even after corrective measures, should be encouraged to leave the public service.''
There can be no doubt that the allegations against Mr. Rasool have raised serious questions about his conduct as a public representative. The DA is calling on the president to put his words into action.
A copy of the letter follows below.
04 July 2010
President of the Republic of South Africa
Hon Pres Jacob Zuma
The Presidency
Private Bag X1000
Pretoria
0001
Dear Honourable President Zuma,
I write to you concerned by the revelations that have surfaced in the media implicating Mr Ebrahim Rasool, the newly appointed ambassador to the United States of America.
As the Honourable President is no doubt aware, a former reporter for the Argus newspaper, a Mr Ashley Smith, has filed an affidavit to the National Prosecuting Authority detailing improper conduct on the part of Mr Rasool, whom he alleges to have made payments to him during his tenure as the Premier of the Western Cape. According to the reporter, Mr Rasool did this in order to unduly influence news reports about him, and to attack his political rivals in the media, in particular, the ANC provincial secretary Mcebisi Skwatsha.
Given Mr Rasool's imminent deployment as the ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to the United States, I am concerned that such allegations will blight the image of the country, and your administration.
Further, the Honourable President has on numerous occasions committed himself to rooting out corruption in the public service, wherever it occurs. If I may quote from your address on the 22nd of April, 2010, ‘Changing the Way Government Works:'
‘Changing the way government works also entails ensuring clean government. Our supply chain management systems must not be open to abuse by officials. We are sharpening our corruption busting instruments in government to ensure that corruption does not thrive in the public sector. [...]
‘If we are serious about changing the way government works, and the way public servants work, we must use the performance management system correctly and effectively. People must be rewarded for hard work that changes the lives of citizens for the better. Those who do not perform, and who fail to change even after corrective measures, should be encouraged to leave the public service.''
I have no doubt that the Honourable President has every intention of ensuring that those with questionable records in public service are removed from service. Thus I am requesting that you urgently intervene in this matter, and temporarily withhold the appointment of Mr Rasool until the allegations against him are investigated, and the outcomes of such an investigation made public.
Yours sincerely,
Kenneth Mubu MP
Shadow Minister of International Relations & Cooperation
Democratic Alliance
Statement issued by Kenneth Mubu MP, Democratic Alliance Shadow Minister of International Relations & Cooperation, July 4 2010
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