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Mandela Funeral Funds: Whole EC Cabinet was Responsible

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Dear MyPE

While the ANC-led Eastern Cape Provincial Government is within its rights to seek a legal review of the Mandela Funeral Report by the Public Protector, the provincial government should be focussing its energies around what action it will be taking in regard to the issues raised in the report that have been well-exposed in this province since 2014. What is your clean-up action plan, Mr Premier?

Even though all fingers are correctly pointed at the Eastern Cape Director-General (DG), Marion Mbina-Mthembu, in relation to her role in the scandal, this cannot obscure the role of the provincial cabinet and particularly the current Premier and then MEC for Finance, Phumulo Masualle. All these irregularities happened on his watch and he should be held fully accountable.

On Monday, DA National Spokesperson¸ Refiloe Nt’sekhe, gave a statement to the SAPS and submitted the Public Protector’s report in order to supplement charges which are under investigation by the Hawks.

When the DA vigorously attacked Masualle’s role in this scandal in the provincial legislature back in 2014, the ANC all closed ranks to protect him. Athol Trollip, the then DA leader in the legislature, was suspended from the legislature for 30 days. The DA went to court and in a settlement, this decision was overturned.

Earlier this week, I submitted legislature questions in order to find answers as to what the provincial government has done since 2014 to deal with the persons responsible for the irregularities. For my questions, click here

I have today written to the Speaker of the Legislature, Noxolo Kiviet, requesting that the Public Protector’s report that has been referred to her, be referred to the Standing Committee of Public Accounts (Scopa) to deal with.

The DA is of the strong view that the politicians that were involved in approving the method of funding in this scandal should be held accountable. The DG alone cannot be made the scapegoat. This report is not just an indictment on her, but the whole provincial cabinet who took the decision on 6 December 2013 to approve the funding model for the funeral.

The ANC this week in a very vague response to the scandal suggested that the DG take voluntary leave. Why the deafening silence when it comes to the role of the politicians involved in this?

All those implicated in this scandal that has robbed the people of the Eastern Cape must face the full might of the law.

The new oppression that is destroying the Eastern Cape is corruption and unemployment and it is the ANC government that is fully responsible for it. The people of the Eastern Cape deserve a new beginning free from corruption. A government that will put the people first and ensure politicians are held fully accountable for their actions.

Regards

Bobby Stevenson

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Port Elizabethan

This author is a 'catch-all' for occasional articles and letters written to MyPE. The Author of each article can be found in the signature at the bottom of each individual article.