Travelgate: How the ANC rewards those guilty of corruption
Yesterday the ANC parliamentary caucus released a statement on Travelgate fraudster and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, Mnyamezeli Booi, in which it rejected the DA's call for Mr Booi to resign, saying it "smacked of political opportunism" and that the caucus was "satisfied by Booi's show of remorse and his co-operation with the judiciary in reaching the agreement" (see here).
Yesterday Mr Booi pleaded guilty to theft and was fined R50 000 or a five year jail term. He admitted to using R92 000 worth of travel vouchers for car rental and hotel accommodation worth R20 000.
In other words, Mr Booi defrauded Parliament, breached the good faith vested in him by the public and has dragged the process out for years; nevertheless, the ANC is happy to let Mr Booi continue in his position. He joins the ranks of the many other Travelgate fraudsters who now enjoy high-ranking positions in the ANC. And, once again, ANC bluster about accountability and a commitment to fighting corruption has come to nought.
When the scandal first broke the ANC national executive released a statement in which it stated, among other things, that the ANC would "institute disciplinary action against any of its MPs or other members found guilty of wrongdoing". It seems that it is not going to happen. In fact, the ANC seems to have gone out of its way to reward a great many of those found guilty of fraud. Below this statement is a list of a number of those Travelgate MPs who have either returned to Parliament, the provincial legislature or been given jobs by the ANC itself, subsequent to the scandal.
It is remarkable. Among the positions now held by a number of those found guilty of defrauding Parliament - the heart of South Africa's democracy - include:
- A Member of the Provincial Legislature
- Seven Members of Parliament
- A Deputy Minister
- Three Committee Chairpersons
- A Branch Treasurer
- A member of an ANC Disciplinary Committee
- Chair of the ANC Women's Caucus
- A member of the SADC Parliamentary Forum
- A whip for the Committees on the Auditor General and Ethics and Private Members' Legislative Proposals and Special Petitions.
Quite clearly, if you want to make it big in the ANC, you need to commit fraud and you will be appropriately rewarded.
In the press statement that accompanied the ANC's announcement of its 2009 list, the party stated "they have been told that their organisation, and the people they represent, will hold them to the highest standards of integrity and accountability."
In a word: Whatever.
The ANC wouldn't know what accountability looked like if it hit it over the head with a spade.
It continues to do everything in its power to do the exact opposite on the sentiments contained in the promise above: ignore the people, undermine the integrity of Parliament and systematically denude the Constitutional principle of accountability of its worth. Its attitude is disgraceful.
Jacob Zuma has spoken about creating an "ethos of accountability". More like a quagmire for the corrupt and arrogant.
|
Name |
Sentence |
Position after Sentence |
Current Position |
|
Randy Pieterse |
Pleaded guilty to one count of theft (R60 000 service benefits) and was sentenced to a fine of R25 000 or 3 years imprisonment and a further 5 years imprisonment suspended conditionally for 5 years (16 October 2006) |
Maintained as a Member of Parliament |
10th on the ANC's WC Provincial List. Missed the cut by 2 positions. Employed full-time on the ANC's Western Cape Provincial Task Team
|
|
Patrick Maloyi |
Pleaded guilty to one count of fraud (R150 000 service benefits/ mileage claims) and sentenced to a fine of R60 000 or 5 years imprisonment and a further 5 years imprisonment suspended conditionally for 5 years. (16 October 2006) |
Redeployed to the North West province in 2007 as the Chief Whip for the ANC in the Provincial Legislature. |
Elected in 9th position on the ANC's 2009 Provincial List for the North West. Touted as possible Premier. Member of the Provincial Legislature. |
|
Barbara Thompson |
Pleaded guilty to one count of fraud (R170 000 service benefits/ mileage claims) and was sentenced to a fine of R90 000 or 5 years imprisonment and a further 5 years imprisonment suspended conditionally for 5 years. (16 October 2006) |
Retained as Member of Parliament. |
Elected back to Parliament in 2009, in position 48 on the ANC's national to national list. Member of the National Assembly. Elected Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities. ANCWL Chairperson Ward 34 East branch; ANCWL REC; ANCWL PEC; ANCWL REC Disciplinary Committee; ANCWL PEC Gender and Development issues. |
|
Beauty Dlulane |
Pleaded guilty to one count of fraud (R289 000 service benefits/ mileage claims) and was sentenced to a fine of R120 000 or 5 years imprisonment and a further 5 years imprisonment suspended conditionally for 5 years. |
Retained as a Member of Parliament. Appointed to the multi-party ad hoc committee deliberating on the recommendation of the President on the National Director of Public Prosecutions in January 2009. Served on the SADC parliamentary forum. |
Elected back to Parliament in 2009, in position 58 on the ANC's 2009 national to national list. Member of the NCOP. Chair of the Women's Caucus. Nominated to the SADC parliamentary forum. She is also a member of the Women League's national executive. |
|
Jabu Sosibo |
Pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud (R241 000). Fined R100 000 or five years in jail, suspended for five years. |
Retained as Member of Parliament. |
Elected back to Parliament in 2009 on the ANC's provincial to national list. Member of the National Assembly. Elected as ANC whip for the Committees on the Auditor General, Constitutional Review, Ethics and Private Members' Legislative Proposals and Special Petitions. She is the treasurer of the ANC's Reservoir Hills branch. |
|
Myamezeli Booi |
Pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud. Fined R50 000, or five years' jail, and given until January 2014 to pay the money in monthly instalments of R1000. |
Retained as Member of Parliament. |
Elected back to Parliament in 2009 in position 65 on the ANC's national to national list. Member of the National Assembly. Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans. |
|
Ndleleni Duma |
Pleaded guilty to one count of theft (R51 000 service benefits) and was sentenced to a fine of R30 000 or 3 years imprisonment and a further 5 years imprisonment suspended conditionally for 5 years |
Not elected back to Parliament in 2004. Deployed to the North West Provincial Government, where he served as MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture. |
Elected back to Parliament in 2009, in position 79 on the ANC's national to national list. Member of the National Assembly. |
|
Bathabile Dlamini |
Pleaded guilty to one count of fraud (R254 000 service benefits/ mileage claims) and was sentenced to a fine of R120 000 or 5 years imprisonment and a further 5 years imprisonment suspended conditionally for 5 years |
Not elected back to Parliament in 2004. |
Elected back to Parliament in 2009, in position 16 on the ANC's national to national list. Member of the National Assembly. Deputy Minister of Social Development. |
|
Angie Molebatsi |
Pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud. Fined R25 000, or three years in jail, plus an additional five years suspended |
Not elected back to Parliament in 2004. |
Elected back to Parliament in 2009, in position 84 on the ANC's national to national list. Member of Parliament. Member of the Portfolio committee on Police. |
|
Ruth Bhengu |
Pleased guilty to one charge of fraud (R43 000) Fined R45 000 or two years' imprisonment, and |
Redeployed to Deputy Mayor of the Ugu District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. |
Elected back to Parliament in 2009, in position 96 on the ANC's national to national list. Member of the National Assembly. Elected chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport. |
Statement issued by Mike Ellis, MP, Democratic Alliance deputy chief whip, September 30 2009
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