MEC MMEMEZI DUCKS CREDIT CARD QUESTIONS
Embattled Gauteng Local Government and Housing MEC Humphrey Mmemezi, today ducked my questions in the Gauteng Legislature on his credit card spending and his mysterious accident in an official vehicle in Kwazulu Natal last year.
He said that he would not reply as the matter was being dealt with by the Legislature's integrity commission. This is a dubious interpretation of the Legislature's rules which was unfortunately supported by acting speaker Uhuru Moiloa.
DA Chief whip Glenda Steyn questioned the Acting Speaker's ruling, and requested he get a legal opinion on this matter. Should this opinion determine that the ruling was incorrect, the MEC will have to answer at the next sitting on 5 June 2012.
The question is what is he hiding? Is he hiding the fact that he may have misled the Gauteng Legislature with his previous responses ?
If he had nothing to hide he could easily have responded to the questions and cleared the allegations that have been made.
Mmemezi was supposed to explain why the insurance company has refused to pay the accident claim. Furthermore he was also supposed to explain why he used his government credit card for grocery purchases at President Hyper in Krugersdorp and at Woolworths in Harrison Street in Johannesburg.
The DA has documentation that he spent R3419.65 at President Hyper on 16 April 2011 including Tastic rice, Kellogs cornflakes, baked-beans, frozen chicken and orange juice. (available on request)
The DA also has a till-slip that shows he spent R973.77 at Woolworths on 22 September 2011, on items including greek salad, dried fruit, mixed juice, tropical wedges and strawberries.(available on request)
The DA will submit documentation to the Integrity Commissioner to assist in his investigation and calls on him to expedite the matter.
There is no excuse for Mmemezi ducking today's questions which obviously would have caused him considerable embarrassment.
Statement issued by Fred Nel MPL, DA Gauteng spokesperson for Local Government and deputy spokesperson for Roads and Transport, May 29 2012
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