DA to ask detailed parliamentary questions about Paul Ngobeni

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will submit detailed parliamentary questions about the appointment of Paul Ngobeni as legal adviser to Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu.

Ngobeni is reportedly facing a number of criminal charges including forgery, larceny and the ill practice of law and there is a warrant out for his arrest in the United States. He is also reportedly barred from practicing law after facing ethical misconduct charges in Connecticut in the United States.

See attached table concerning pending case details from the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch (see here).

We will use detailed parliamentary questions to probe several issues relating to Ngobeni's appointment at the Department of Defence.

These issues include:

• whether Ngobeni has suitable legal qualifications to be a legal adviser including a law degree from a university in South Africa;
• whether Ngobeni has a doctorate as the minister appeared to imply earlier this week;
• how it was that Ngobeni received security clearance after being vetted by the intelligence services if he was facing criminal charges and there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest;
• whether the minister is aware of the fact that Ngobeni was barred from practicing law, faced criminal charges and that there was a warrant out for his arrest before he was appointed as her legal adviser; and finally
• whether the minister believes that Ngobeni measures up to the high ethical standard required of employees in her department and whether she has full confidence in his legal advice.

The DA believes that it is imperative that the minister receives the best possible legal advice, and that the process of dismissing the protesting soldiers who trashed the Union buildings is not prejudiced by dodgy legal advice.

Statement by David Maynier, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of defence and military veterans,

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter