Deputy Defence Minister must recant Madonsela remarks
08 September 2014
The DA condemns the comments made by the Deputy Minister of Defence, Kebby Maphatsoe, and demands he withdraw and apologise for his baseless remarks against the Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela (see report in The Star here).
I will also request the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, Mathole Motshekga, to summon the Deputy Minister before the committee to provide substantiation for these serious allegations. If the Deputy Minister fails to provide proof to support his claims, swift action must be taken against him to prevent these kinds of fabrications from happening in future.
This comes after Deputy Minister Maphatsoe accused Adv Madonsela of being a plant of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) whose only motivation is to undermine the African National Congress (ANC).
Deputy Minister Maphatsoe also alleges that she is using her office to undermine Parliament and the Constitution.
It would appear that this is the latest attempt by the ANC in government to vilify and undermine the Public Protector. Indeed this is not the first time she has been attacked by the ANC. Attacks on Adv Madonsela begun at the release of her report into the ‘security upgrades' at President Jacob Zuma's private residence at Nkandla.
Just last month, ANC Secretary General, Gwede Mantashe, launched a tirade against the Public Protector alleging that "The office of the public protector leaks every report she writes and blames that on the divisions within the ANC."
These claims are without foundation. It is, in fact, the ANC in government who are attempting to undermine Parliament and the Constitution by interfering in her work and not giving any meaning to the recommendations made in her reports.
The Deputy Minister of Defence must immediately withdraw and apologise for his remarks. The DA will follow-up to confirm that he does not get away with agitating the Public Protector and stops her from fulfilling her constitutional mandate.
Statement issued by Werner Horn MP, A Shadow Deputy Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, September 8 2014
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
