Resignation may not save Gigaba from being prosecuted

13 November 2018

The fact that Malusi Gigaba resigned may not serve as a free pass for him to avoid criminal prosecution for perjury and his alleged involvement in state capture.

Gigaba resigned even though he only recently said that he will not go of his own accord, but that he is leaving the decision regarding his future in President Cyril Ramaphosa's hands.

This turn of events offers President Ramaphosa an easy way out, but it does not change the fact that the President was initially not willing to dismiss a minister who, according to the Public Protector (PP), deliberately lied under oath in the High Court.

He was not even willing to take disciplinary steps against Gigaba and after his election as President, he appointed Gigaba to serve in his Cabinet. This happened in spite of the controversy surrounding Gigaba as regards his involvement in state capture and his close ties with the Guptas.

President Ramaphosa must now show that he truly is willing to take decisive action by getting rid of Bathabile Dlamini. The Constitutional Court also found that her statements to the court were false and that she gave false oral testimony before the SASSA Commission.

Even though Gigaba only resigned due to immense pressure from the public, the FF Plus still welcomes the fact that he was willing to fall on his own sword like Nhanhla Nene.

This will hopefully put even more pressure on other officials involved in state capture so that they will follow suit soon.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 14 November 2018